SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB) – In the wake of several hurricanes that have hit Florida this year, members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency are urging residents who have suffered damage to download their app and continue to apply for federal assistance. FEMA said that so far this year, $705 million in approved individual assistance has been awarded to Florida storm victims. FEMA also helped place approximately 26,545 people in transitional shelters for those left without a place to stay in the wake of Hurricanes Debby, Helene and Milton.

“We want people to know that we’re there and that we care,” said FEMA’s Olivia Dengering. Last weekend, Dengering, along with other members of her team, canvassed Manasota Key, going door-to-door offering to sign people up. for potential help from the government agency. She encourages everyone to download the FEMA app on their phones.

By creating a profile and answering a few questions, storm victims can upload photos and provide details about each apparition they’ve encountered. This information is then processed to further determine eligibility. “As soon as you create a profile, there’s an area to request assistance, then an area to check my status, you can then go in and see for yourself what the communication is between you and FEMA,” Dengering added. you can apply for assistance for each storm, there are specific deadlines.

In the case of Hurricane Debby, the deadline to apply for assistance is November 12. For Hurricane Helene, November 27. A deadline for Hurricane Milton financial assistance requests has not yet been announced.

For more information about registering for FEMA assistance, visit: DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using The FEMA app for mobile devices or free calls 800-621-3362.

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