Hurricane Beryl Resources

Highlights
1. If you use durable medical equipment, like oxygen machines, that rely on power, please call my team at 713-353-8680 to see if we can help.
2. To report power outages or set up power alerts, call 3-1-1 or click here.

If you see fallen trees or debris 
 Houston

  • You can call the City at 3-1-1 or 713-837-0311 to report fallen trees or limbs that are blocking roads.
  • If you’re in Harris County Precinct 4, you can call 832-927-4444 to report fallen trees or debris that are blocking roads. You can also request a service online here or email the precinct at service@hcp4.net. 

Sugar Land

  • Call 3-1-1 or 281-275-2900 if debris is encountered in the roadway.
  • Sign up for the City’s Emergency Notification System here.

If you see fallen power lines or traffic light outages

  • If you see downed power lines, stay 35 feet away at all times.  Any downed power line is considered active.  Immediately report the downed power line or traffic light outage to 3-1-1. 

If you have damages 

  • If your home sustained damages, you can submit a report to the Texas Division of Emergency Management here.  This allows for officials to connect resources and services to residents.
  • You can call 2-1-1 to find additional resources or to get help making decisions.
  • Take photos of any damage, make a list of your losses, and save all repair receipts ahead of any inspections.  If you have insurance, be sure to photograph the make, model and serial number for appliances such as washers, dryers, hot water heaters, kitchen appliances, TVs and computers.
  • Residents are encouraged to report damage through the Individual State of Assessment Tool (iSTAT), which can be accessed at damage.tdem.texas.gov. 
  • For Harris County residents, more information can be found here.

To protect from scams

  • In some cases, thieves try to apply for FEMA assistance using names, addresses and Social Security numbers they have stolen from survivors.  If a FEMA inspector comes to your home and you did not submit a FEMA application, your information may have been used without your knowledge to create a FEMA application. If so, please inform the inspector that you did not apply for FEMA assistance so they can submit a request to stop further processing of the application.  If you did not apply for assistance, but receive a letter from FEMA, please call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362.
  • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews, housing inspectors and other officials are working in areas impacted by the hurricane. They carry official identification badges with photo IDs.  FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives never charge applicants for disaster assistance, inspections or help in filling out applications.  Don't give your banking information to a person claiming to be a FEMA housing inspector.  FEMA inspectors are never authorized to collect your personal financial information.
  • If you believe you are the victim of fraud or a scam, report it immediately to your local police or sheriff's department or contact the Office of the Texas Attorney General Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-621-0508. If you have knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse, you can report this information to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721. You can also email StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov.
  • For more information on government grant scams, click here.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance

To apply for FEMA assistance:

  • Eligible residents of Fort Bend and Harris Counties with uninsured damages or losses caused by Hurricane Beryl can apply for FEMA disaster assistance.  FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs.  More information on the types of assistance available can be found here.
    • FEMA recently announced Texans who purchased or rented generators because of Hurricane Beryl may be eligible for financial assistance. More information here. 
  • To apply, homeowners and renters can:
    • Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
    • Download the FEMA App for mobile devices
    • Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Help is available in most languages.
    • Visit any Disaster Recovery Center. For locations and hours, go online to fema.gov/drc. 
      • Note: Disaster Recovery Center at Milton Lusk Activity Center will permanently close at 4 p.m. on October 31, 2024.
  • What you will need to apply:
    • A current phone number where you can be contacted
    • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
    • Your Social Security number
    • A general list of damage and losses
    • Banking information if you choose direct deposit
    • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name
  • Texans who applied for FEMA assistance after the April 26-June 5 storms and flooding, and who had additional damage or losses from Hurricane Beryl, can make a separate application for Hurricane Beryl assistance.
  • The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance has been extended to December 9. For more information, click here.

After you apply for FEMA assistance:

  • After Texans apply for FEMA assistance, a home inspection may be necessary to help determine whether the home is safe, sanitary and livable. Housing inspectors will make an appointment with the applicant before coming. They will already have the applicant’s FEMA application number. They carry photo identification and will show it to the applicant. For security reasons, federal identification may not be photographed. Inspectors will never ask for, or accept, money. Their service is free.
  • After applying for FEMA assistance, you will receive a letter in the mail or via email. The letter will explain your application status and how to respond. You may need to submit additional information or supporting documentation for FEMA to continue to process an application for financial assistance. If you have questions about your letter, or disagree with the initial decision, visit a Disaster Recovery Center, call the disaster assistance helpline at 800-621-3362 to find out what information FEMA needs, or appeal the decision.  For more information on understanding your letter and how to appeal, click here. Para obtener más información sobre cómo entender su carta y cómo apelar la determinación de FEMA, haga clic aquí.

To apply for SBA disaster loans:

  • Homeowners, renters, and small businesses in Harris County and Fort Bend County are eligible for financial assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration.  The types of loans available are:
  • Applications for disaster loans may be submitted online at www.sba.gov/disaster. Please contact the SBA’s Customer Service Center by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or by phone at 1-800-659-2955 for future assistance.  
  • You may also visit a SBA Business Recovery Center where SBA customer service representatives will be on hand to answer questions, explain the application process, and help applicants complete an electric loan application.
    • Harris County: University of Houston – Downtown, Marilyn Davies College of Business, 320 North Main St (Room B106, 1st Floor), Houston, TX 77002.
      • Mon-Fri: 9:00am-6:00pm CT | Sat: 9:00am-4:00pm CT
    • Trini Mendenhall Community Center, 1414 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055
  • The deadline to apply for physical damage is September 10, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is April 14, 2025.
  • For more information on applying for SBA disaster loans, click here.
  • SBA has temporarily paused funding for its disaster loan program. However, the SBA is still accepting applications for low-interest, long-term disaster loans to assist homeowners, renters, businesses, and nonprofits affected by disasters. Once additional funding is secured from Congress, disaster loan applications will be processed promptly.

To replace lost documents

  • When you apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Beryl, you will need to provide proof of identity, residence, and other documentation. In order to replace your insurance policy information, birth or death certificates and marriage or divorce documents, driver licenses, social security cards, Medicare cards, SNAP (EBT) cards, green cards, passports, federal tax returns, or military records, click here for more information. 

To replace SNAP foods lost in the storm:

  • The Texas Health and Human Services Commission will allow households in Harris County and Fort Bend County to make a request for the replacement of their SNAP benefits for replacement of foods purchased with SNAP benefits that were lost as a result of severe rains, flooding, and power outages due to Hurricane Beryl.
  • There will also be mass replacement of 60 percent of benefits for households in Harris County that were issued for July 1 – 8, 2024; 45 percent of benefits for households that were issued for June 23 – June 30, 2024; 30 percent of benefits for households that were issued for June 16 – 22, 2024; and 15 percent of benefits for households that were issued for June 9 – June 15, 2024.
  • People in the affected counties can apply by dialing 2-1-1 and selecting Option 8.  You must apply by August 8. 

To replace WIC foods and formula benefits lost in the storm:

  • Recipients of WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children — in Harris County and Fort Bend County can also apply for food and formula benefits lost due to the hurricane.
  • WIC, through July 31, is replacing food and formula benefits lost during Hurricane Beryl. Families can visit TexasWIC.org or call 800-942-3678 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and select Option 3 to speak with an operator who will help find an open WIC location.  WIC participants will need to apply in person at a WIC office.  WIC also offers 24/7 breastfeeding assistance through its lactation support hotline: 855-550-6667.

To receive unemployment because of disaster-related job loss:

  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides unemployment benefits for individuals who lost their jobs or self-employment or who are no longer working as a direct result of a major disaster for which a disaster assistance period is declared, and who applied but are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits.  For more information on DUA and eligibility, click here.
  • Apply online through the Texas Workforce Commission’s Unemployment Benefit Services or by calling at 800-939-6631 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Applications must be submitted by Sept. 9, 2024, and should specify that they are related to Hurricane Beryl.

If you need shelter

  • If you or someone you know is without shelter and in need of transportation, call 3-1-1.

If you need a cooling center

  • Fort Bend County, Harris County, and City of Houston libraries are all open for those looking for a cooling center.  In the event of a future declared heat advisory, additional cooling centers may open.

If you’re having a life-threatening emergency

  • If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1. But city officials urge you to leave 9-1-1 calls for emergencies only.  Call 3-1-1 for other non-life-threatening emergencies.

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