FEMA Offers Equal Access to Assistance for All South Carolina Disaster Survivors

COLUMBIA, S.C. – FEMA is committed to providing equal access to federal assistance for South Carolinians who were affected by Hurricane Helene. If you have accessibility needs, let FEMA know about your individual needs when you apply for disaster assistance.

If you or anyone in your household has a disability or language need and a need to interact with FEMA or disability-related losses due to the storm, it is important to answer “yes” to the appropriate questions when completing the application for FEMA disaster assistance. You will be asked to identify what you need to help you throughout your recovery process. 

Questions will also help identify other services for which you may be eligible to receive reimbursement. 

Examples of the type of questions you can expect include:

• Do you have a disability or language need that requires an accommodation to interact with FEMA staff and/or access FEMA programs?
• Do you or anyone in your household have a disability that affects your ability to perform activities of daily living or requires an assistive device?
• Did you have any disability-related assistive devices or medically required equipment/supplies/support services damaged, destroyed, lost, or disrupted because of the disaster?

A disaster can take away the key components that enable people with disabilities and people with other access and functional needs to live independently or to communicate with others. These may include a wheelchair, scooter, walker, CPAP machine, hearing aids, eyeglasses or screen reader. You may be eligible to receive FEMA funds to replace these items.

1. How To Apply
2. If you have not applied for FEMA assistance yet, there is still time to submit your application. Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation who were affected by Hurricane Helene are eligible to apply for FEMA assistance.
3. You can apply in several ways: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, in person at any Disaster Recovery Center, on your phone using the FEMA mobile app or by calling the FEMA Helpline. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.
4. For a video with American Sign Language, voiceover and open captions about how to apply for FEMA assistance, select this link.

FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.