Impacted Chicago Residents and Businesses Can Apply for FEMA Assistance on a Wide Variety of Help Needed Due to the Severe Weather and Flooding Damage from July 13 through July 16, 2024
October 3, 2024
CHICAGO – Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications is working with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and FEMA/Office of Homeland Security to provide additional information and services to those affected by severe weather. For details on FEMA assistance for the July 13-16 storms (DR-4819-IL), visit FEMA.gov/disaster/4819
FEMA is offering a wide variety of help to residents and businesses affected by the July 13 - 16, 2024, severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding. Homeowners and renters in Cook, Fulton, Henry, St. Clair, Washington, Will, and Winnebago counties who suffered damage are encouraged to apply. Chicago Assistance Toolkit - FEMA Disaster 4819
Residents with property damage from the July 13 - 16, 2024, severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding in Cook, Fulton, Henry, St. Clair, Washington, Will, and Winnebago counties are encouraged to apply for federal assistance if they haven’t done so already. There are several ways to start the process:
- Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Use the FEMA mobile app.
- Call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual operators are available. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has a Business Recovery Center open in their Chicago SBA District Office located at 332 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 600 open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Businesses can also find information on how to apply for a low-interest SBA loan to assist with disaster recovery at the following link: Disaster assistance | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov).
FEMA can provide money to eligible applicants for help with serious needs, paying for a temporary place to live, home repairs and other needs not covered by insurance. FEMA assistance is limited to primary homes only, or the place you live more than six months of the year. Second homes, vacation homes or homes used as vacation rentals do not qualify for FEMA assistance.
Money provided by FEMA does not have to be repaid and may include:
- Serious Needs: Money for lifesaving and life-sustaining items, including water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, consumable medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal hygiene items and fuel for transportation.
- Displacement: Money to help with housing needs if you cannot return to your home because of the disaster. The money can be used to stay in a hotel, with family and friends or other options while you look for a rental unit.
- Home Repair or Replacement: Money to help you repair or replace your home damaged by the disaster. The money can also help with pre-existing damage to parts of your home where the disaster caused further damage.
- Rental Assistance: Money you can use to rent housing if you are displaced from your home because of the disaster.
- Personal Property: Money to help you repair or replace appliances, room furnishings, and a personal or family computer damaged by the disaster. This can also include money for books, uniforms, tools, additional computers and other items required for school or work, including self-employment.
- Child Care: Money to help you pay for increased or childcare expenses caused by the disaster.
- Transportation: Money to help you repair or replace a vehicle damaged by the disaster when you don’t have another vehicle you can use.
- Learn more at fema.gov
For additional information on disaster relief emergency preparedness information, visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC. Follow the Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Facebook (@coemc), X /Twitter.com (@ChicagoOEMC), Instagram (chicago_oemc_911), and