Video: FEMA Helps Victims Start Over After Tornado

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LOUISVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Federal funding plays a key role in helping communities rebuild after a natural disaster. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground in tornado-damaged areas. FEMA is usually first on the scene, helping people recover and get back on their feet.

“We advise you if you can come in and talk to somebody here, you’ll get a lot more information than you will over the phone,” says Thomas Giddings, the FEMA Recovery Center Manager in Louisville.

FEMA’s main location is on Church Street in Louisville. The center helps victims get the information and assistance they need to start over. Giddings says registering with FEMA is the first step.

“If they haven’t registered, we have phones. They can register. When they finish registering with FEMA, we pull them up on the computer and face-to-face with somebody, tell them everything that they need to push this faster,” explains Giddings.

FEMA provides temporary housing assistance, living expenses and helps victims with insurance claims.

“If insurance doesn’t cover it, FEMA will give them a few months rent, where they can get on their feet, find a better place. Immediate needs, they can rent an apartment or stay in a motel if they have to for a few months,” says Giddings.

Other FEMA locations in Louisville are at First Baptist Church across from City Hall and with the American Red Cross at Walmart.

The address for the Louisville FEMA headquarters is 826 South Church Street. You can also call to register at 800-621-3362.