Both the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are actively working in Buncombe County to assist businesses and residents with disaster assistance for those affected by the impacts of Tropical Storm Fred on Aug. 16-18.
Door-to-door FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams
FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams are going door-to-door in Buncombe, Haywood and Transylvania counties to help residents apply for FEMA assistance, offer referrals to other resources, check the status of an existing application and answer questions about disaster assistance.
DSA teams wear FEMA attire and have federal photo identification badges. FEMA personnel never ask for money.
There are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA app, or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Multilingual lines are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time, seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
The deadline for applications is Nov. 8, 2021.
For more information about Tropical Storm Fred recovery in North Carolina, visit fema.gov/disaster/4617 and ncdps.gov/TSFred.
Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration has opened a Business Recovery Center at the Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College Enka campus to assist all businesses and residents with one-on-one assistance in submitting a disaster loan application for remnants of Tropical Storm Fred on Aug. 16-18.
Physical disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters in the primary counties of Buncombe, Haywood, and Transylvania counties in North Carolina.
Economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses and most nonprofit organizations in the primary counties and in the following adjacent counties: Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Rutherford, Swain and Yancey in North Carolina; Greenville, Oconee and Pickens in South Carolina and Cocke and Sevier in Tennessee.
Location and office hours
SBA Business Recovery Center, Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College, 1465 Sand Hill Road, Suite 1054, Candler, NC 28715
Hours: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday; 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturdays; closed on Sundays.
Additional resources
Insurance: Survivors who need help with their insurance claim or settlement may call the North Carolina Department of Insurance at 855-408-1212. For more information, visit Assistance or File a Complaint | NC DOI.
Cleanup: North Carolina Baptist disaster relief volunteers, working through Baptists on Mission, are helping families in Canton clean out debris and repair damage. Visit baptistsonmission.org/tropical-storm-fred.
Agriculture: The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services activated a hotline to connect farmers with resources that can assist with damage and other agricultural emergencies related to the storm. The toll-free number, 866-645-9403, is open 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily. Farmers can also find recovery resources on the department’s disaster website: www.ncagr.gov/disaster.
Disaster Legal Aid: Low-income individuals who need free legal services related to the disaster may call 866-219-5262. Hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Extended hours on Monday and Thursdays are 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. More information is available at www.legalaidnc.org/.
Spanish language resources in North Carolina: Hispanic organizations in NC
Ukrainian language resources: Ukrainian Association of North Carolina – Home | Facebook
Related FEMA documents
