Hurricane Helene

Resources for Tennesseans Impacted By Hurricane Helene

Click here to learn more about Hurricane Helene’s impact on Tennessee.

FEMA Assistance

Tennesseans living in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties may be eligible for Individual Assistance (IA) through FEMA.

The deadline to apply for assistance is Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.

Students do not need to be permanent residents of the eight counties to be eligible for FEMA assistance, but the property damage or loss must have occurred in those counties.
Ways to apply:

Visit DisasterAssistance.gov
Use the FEMA mobile app
Call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight Eastern Time. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, you can give FEMA your number for that service. Specialists speak many languages. Press 2 for Spanish. Press 3 for an interpreter who speaks your language.
For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance, go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance - YouTube.

Those eligible for FEMA’s IA program may receive help with rental assistance, home repair, and personal property replacement, in addition to other uninsured or underinsured disaster losses. More information on FEMA’s IA program can be found here.

Individuals may also be eligible for FEMA’s Serious Needs Assistance, an upfront, flexible payment of $770 to help cover essential items while survivors are assessed for Individual Assistance eligibility. For more information about Serious Needs Assistance, visit FEMA’s website.

As FEMA is able to get on the ground and survey the damage, additional assistance may become available for Tennesseans in impacted counties.

You can learn more here about FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and about programs that may become available for individuals and households here.

Appealing a FEMA Decision

If your primary home was in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi or Washington County and you’ve applied to FEMA for disaster assistance but received an undesirable outcome, you may be able to appeal the decision.

Often, the reason is as simple as missing documents or information.
Appeals must be submitted within 60 days of the date on the FEMA decision letter.
For questions about appeals and FEMA assistance, call the FEMA Helpline at (800) 621-3362. Helpline operators speak many languages and lines are open from 7 a.m. to midnight ET, seven days a week.

Disaster Recovery Center

FEMA has established a Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC).
DRCs will have FEMA, U.S. Small Business Administration, and other representation to assist survivors in their recovery.
The DRCs will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, Monday through Saturday.

Locations:

Unicoi County — 615 South Main Street, Erwin, TN 37650
Washington County — 104 Cherry Grove Road, Jonesborough, TN 37659
Johnson County — 1923 South Shady Street, Mountain City, TN 37683
Cocke County — 593 West Broadway, Newport, TN 37821
Carter County — 201 N. Sycamore Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643

Tennessee Department of Human Services

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits are available to qualifying households who lived or worked in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties.
Residents can preregister for D-SNAP benefits from Monday, October 14, 2024, until 4:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, October 17, 2024, via the One DHS Customer Portal.

Applications from households who resided or worked in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties at the time of the disaster will be accepted beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET on Monday, October 21, 2024, through 4:30 p.m. ET on Friday, October 25, 2024.
* Please note: recipients of Tennessee’s regular SNAP program are not eligible to receive D-SNAP. D-SNAP applicants must meet income limits and will receive benefits determined by USDA Food and Nutrition Services guidance.

Hotline Contact Information

The Crisis Clean-Up Hotline — (844) 965-1386

Established for survivors who need assistance with clean-up efforts. This service is at no cost to the survivors who are requesting assistance.
The hotline will be available until Oct. 25.

The Disaster Hotline — (423) 830-2696

Established to serve as a unified regional hotline.

988 Lifeline — call or text 988

Counselors are available 24/7 for individuals facing mental health struggles and emotional distress.

Property Damage

If homeowners are facing an emergency, they should dial 911. For cleanup help, they can call (844) 965-1386.
If homeowners have suffered property damage, they should document and take photos of their damages prior to cleanup efforts for insurance purposes.

Recovery Resources Hurricane Helene Blackburn

Mortgage Relief

If you’re a homeowner or renter impacted by the storm, Fannie Mae’s media release outlines the mortgage relief and disaster assistance options that will be available to impacted single-family borrowers in the wake of this hurricane as well as renter resources, including how to access Fannie Mae’s disaster recovery counseling, free of charge.

Information about filing a claim with homeowners insurance following a natural disaster is also available.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

SBA disaster assistance is available to homeowners, renters, nonprofits, and businesses of all sizes affected by Hurricane Helene.

In Tennessee, disaster loans are available in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Sevier, and Unicoi counties.

Types of available disaster loans:

Home Disaster Loans: Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles.
Business Physical Disaster Loans: Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible.
Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

If your job was impacted by the flooding in East Tennessee, you can apply for state unemployment now while Tennessee awaits approval of Disaster Unemployment Assistance.

Prescription Assistance

Uninsured Tennessee residents in areas impacted by Tropical Storm Helene can replace their 30-day supply of certain prescription medications, durable medical equipment, and medical supplies from any pharmacy that participates in the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program.
You can learn more about the program by visiting the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP)website. To find a participating pharmacy near you, use this pharmacy locator. For help enrolling in the EPAP program, call the enrollment hotline at 1-855-793-7470 (TDD 1-800-876-1089).

Avoiding Scams

While many people seek to help during times of disaster, unfortunately, there is also an increased risk for scams and fraud. Watch out for upfront fees from individuals claiming to provide services, benefits, or loans.

The Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs can be reached at (615) 741-4737 or online.

Reporting Misconduct

The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance licenses many of the professionals who play a role in rebuilding, including contractors, home inspectors, and insurance agents, among others.
If you witness unlicensed activity or other potential violations of laws and rules, click here.

Emotional Support

Call 855-CRISIS-1 (855-274-7471) to speak with a caring, trained mental health professional, 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, if you are experiencing a mental health emergency.

Volunteers Seeking to Help

TEMA has designated the Bristol Motor Speedway as the Northeast Tennessee Disaster Relief Center. This center will serve as a home base for recovery efforts and a major distribution center in the aftermath of the devastating floods. They will be operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. This center does not replace the donation centers that have been established by counties. For a list of known centers and goods requested by counties, visit TEMA’s website.
Click here for information on how you can help.

Missing Individals

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has established a hotline for individuals needing to report a missing person in the ongoing East Tennessee flood emergency: 1-800-TBI-FIND.
To report a missing child during a disaster, please also contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, which operates the National Emergency Child Locator Center, at 1-800-843-5678.

Shelters

You can find a list of shelters available here.

Road Conditions

Click here for the most up-to-date information about road closures due to Hurricane Helene.

Utility Services

Please contact your local utility company for the most up-to-date information.

Price Gouging

To file a complaint about price gouging with the Tennessee Divison of Consumer Affairs, call (615) 741-4737 or email consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov.

Additional Resources

Click here for additional disaster recovery resources.
You can find a full guide to all the resources that may be available to you here.

Please follow local guidance for the most up-to-date information.

How Our Office Can Help

Our office is standing by to assist you with any questions or assistance you may need from a federal agency, including FEMA. You can learn more and contact us here.
* Please note: for issues you may have with state agencies or programs that fall under the jurisdiction of the State of Tennessee, please contact your state legislator. You can find your local legislator here.