Alert: Missourians Need to List Physical Address in Disaster Relief Application

McCaskill pledges to work with FEMA to ensure all eligible Missourians receive disaster recovery resources after recent floods

WASHINGTON – After recent reports that some eligible Missourians applying for disaster relief were sent denial letters after listing a Rural Route or P.O. Box on their application for individual assistance, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is alerting Missourians to ensure their application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) lists a physical property address. McCaskill serves as the top Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has oversight jurisdiction over FEMA.  

“We’ve got to ensure that Missourians aren’t mistakenly denied resources to rebuild after a disaster because they applied for assistance using a P.O Box—something many Missourians in flood-affected areas use,” McCaskill said. “I plan to work together with my colleagues and FEMA to make sure everyone is getting the help their families and communities need.”

McCaskill’s alert comes after her office reached out to FEMA officials who said that the problem of otherwise eligible individuals being denied for this reason has been an issue in rural areas throughout the country. Individuals can correspond with FEMA through a P.O. Box but must include an alternative physical property address so that officials can schedule inspections of damaged dwellings. In Missouri, FEMA has worked with officials in the Carter County and Oregon County Assessor’s offices to help residents identify their physical property address. To register for disaster assistance, residents can go to DisasterAssistance.gov, call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362, or visit a Disaster Recovery Center.  A list of disaster recovery centers is available at recovery.mo.gov.  

Earlier this month, President Trump issued a federal disaster declaration for Missouri communities recovering from recent flooding, after McCaskill and Senator Roy Blunt sent a bipartisan letter in support of Governor Eric Greitens’ request for federal resources.

The Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is responsible for oversight over the Department of Homeland Security, including FEMA. Today, McCaskill voted to confirm President Trump’s FEMA nominee, Brock Long. She has also backed legislation to require FEMA to create easily accessible online grant training for first responders taking into account the time and financial pressures many fire departments face, particularly those in rural areas. Last year, a McCaskill-backed bipartisan plan to improve training and support for first responders was signed into law. Following Joplin’s historic deadly 2011 tornado, the area received tens of millions of dollars toward disaster recovery efforts through federal development grants championed by U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill.  

A fact sheet on the importance of using a physical property address during the FEMA disaster relief application process is available online HERE.

Visit mccaskill.senate.gov/flooding for information and resources to assist those affected by flooding in Missouri.

###