The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has set up toll-free numbers and a website for residents of counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey deemed eligible for federal assistance to use in beginning the application process. The toll-free numbers are 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) and TTY 1-800-462-7585. Operators (including interpreters) are available from 8AM until 8PM, seven days a week, until further notice. You can also CLICK HERE to register on-line.

Applicants are advised to have the following information available to help speed up the application process:

•       Your current phone number;
•       Your Social Security number, if available;
•       A general list of damages and losses you suffered;
•       If insured, your insurance policy number, or the agent's and company name;
•       General financial information; and
•       Bank account code if you wish to speed up your assistance with direct deposit.

Individual assistance is available for homeowners, renters, and business owners in Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Chester, Columbia, Franklin, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties in Pennsylvania and Hunterdon, Mercer and Warren counties in New Jersey.

Individual and household assistance may include:

• Temporary Housing - Homeowners and renters may receive rental assistance to help with housing costs while displaced from their own homes or apartments or while looking for new, permanent housing.
• Repair - Many homeowners will qualify for grants to repair disaster damage not covered by insurance. These funds are intended to make their homes safe and habitable, but not necessarily to return them to their pre-disaster condition.
• Other Needs Assistance (ONA) - Applicants also may receive grants for serious disaster-related needs not met by insurance, volunteer agencies or other sources. This includes medical, dental, funeral, personal property, transportation, moving and storage and other eligible expenses.
• Disaster Loans - The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) makes low-interest disaster loans available to residents of the counties included in the disaster declaration. The SBA provides three types of disaster loans:
  • Home disaster loans to homeowners and renters to repair or replace storm-damaged homes and to replace lost personal property
  • Business physical disaster loans to business owners to repair or replace disaster-damaged property, including inventory and supplies and
  • Economic injury disaster loans which provide capital to businesses and agricultural cooperatives to help them through the recovery period.

Special Tax Considerations - Taxpayers may deduct their disaster-related damage and losses on their tax returns for 2006 or amended returns for 2005. Disaster assistance is not considered taxable income.

To help meet the ongoing needs of Pennsylvania’s recent severe storms and flooding victims, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Pennsylvania’s Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) have opened   Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in our region.  The centers provide a single location where people are able to talk face-to-face with recovery specialists.

Before visiting a DRC, you should begin the application process by calling FEMA’s toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing and speech impaired.  Both numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual operators are also available to answer your call. Those with Internet access can register online at www.fema.gov.

Representatives from local, state and federal agencies, and some private-sector organizations will staff the following joint DRCs in our region:

Schuylkill County
Technology Center
South Campus I.U. 29
17 Maple Avenue
Mar Lin 17951   

Monroe County
JT Lambert  Elementary School Gymnasium
2000 Milford Road
East Stroudsburg 18301

Hours of Operation:
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays

Berks County
Tyson Schoener Elementary School
315 S. 5th Street
Reading 19602   

Bucks County
Solebury High School
180 West Bridge Street
New Hope 18938   

Montgomery County
Old Reading RR Terminal
South Hanover @ South Street
Pottstown 19464
**MOBILE DRC**   

Northampton County
Forks Plaza
1700 Sullivan Trail, Store 10B
Easton 18040


Regular hours:
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Except Chester County DRC: Sunday, Noon to 5 p.m.

PLEASE NOTE: The Montgomery County DRC is a MOBILE DRC and will be closing on Monday, July 17 at 7 p.m.

The following is a list of New Jersey locations:

Mercer County
West Ward Fire House
Corner of West State Street and Lee Avenue #25
Trenton, NJ

Hunterdon County
Municipal Court Parking Lot
South Union Street
Lambertville, NJ

Warren County
Harmony Township Municipal Building
3003 Belvidere Road
Phillipsburg, NJ

Hours of Operation are 10am to 7pm daily.