Rita victims wrongly denied FEMA checks

[TexasStooge]

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) – The federal official in charge of hurricane relief in Louisiana acknowledged on Thursday that many victims of Hurricane Rita were wrongly denied financial help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen said many victims called FEMA after hearing President Bush pledge assistance, but FEMA telephone workers denied their claims because the workers had not yet been told Rita victims were eligible for the $2,000 checks.

“We need to pick up the slack. I take full responsibility,” Allen said in an interview after acknowledging the glitch in a meeting with elected officials from Calcasieu Parish, in southwestern Louisiana.

It was unclear how many people were wrongly denied the checks after the Sept. 24 storm. Hal McMillin, president of the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, said he believed between 5,000 and 10,000 residents of the parish applied but did not get the checks.

[bevgo]

Another FEMA glitch? Who would have thought this was possible?

[HurricaneBill]

To top it off, Mike Brown will be on the FEMA paylist for another 30 days because he is participating in the investigation into what went wrong with the Katrina response.

The guy FUBARS the response and he's STILL getting paid?!

[Aquawind]

What's the date of publish on that article and have those people received their fair share yet?

Wow.. That is a lot of money for only one area! They are going to be under the microscope for years to come. Now with Wilma which may place 3rd on the damage $ list behind Katrina and Andrew..they have done a good job..certainly not flawless but better. But 10-20 million bucks for one Parrish being denied can't be real.. Someone lied to the people then and or corruption is taking place..That discrepancy is to large looking at all of the areas that took similar or worse damage from Katrina.

Brownie is still making a buck over the deal as well...it's that difficult? Huh.. this is another graceful move and evidently the position does not have the power to get the job done..it can't be that difficult.


Paul

[southerngale]

What's the date of publish on that article and have those people received their fair share yet?
Paul

October 27th


FEMA responded quickly when I reached them, about a week or so after the hurricane, with a direct deposit of emergency funds. I'm having a little more trouble getting the forms now, but it's not their fault. I didn't have an address to give them and gave them the hotel address, but I left there shortly afterward. I'd been moving around a few cities after it hit.

So although my experience with FEMA has been fine so far, they've been taking a lot of heat locally. From victims' checks to debris removal funding to housing issues, it seems FEMA is always being criticized for something here.

hmm...if you need help, maybe call your local news:
After Channel Six News contacted FEMA, three community relations agents showed up at Whitfield's home to help her sign up for a temporary travel trailer.

[Lindaloo]

You are only given the $2,000 dollar direct deposit checks if you evacuated.

[Jagno]

I was denied and I had it in writing. Denied: Your damage is covered by insurance After the Presidents speech I went to a local FEEMA center where I was evacuated to and the director of the center couldn't believe the written proof I had in my hands. The 2,000 was deposited in my account within 24 hours.

[Deb321]

I was denied and I had it in writing. Denied: Your damage is covered by insurance After the Presidents speech I went to a local FEEMA center where I was evacuated to and the director of the center couldn't believe the written proof I had in my hands. The 2,000 was deposited in my account within 24 hours.

That is good to hear!! At least you got what you was entitled to. I have to agree that our experience with FEMA was not bad last year. It was a little slow and alot of paper work ect. but considering how many people they had to deal with after both Frances and Jeanne they did what they could. I personally think too much paper work and red tape is involved. My neighbor had to leave his home last year because of roof and ceiling damage and they gave him a check immediately to get a hotel room and find a suitable place for his family to live until his house was repaired. He had insurance for the damages but needed money for a place to stay. I guess they were so overwhelmed with Katrina that they screwed it up. I feel so bad for all those still having to deal with the mess and trying to put their lives back together. Good luck to you.

[HurryKane]

You are only given the $2,000 dollar direct deposit checks if you evacuated.

AND, if you 1) applied within the right time period and 2) put down an address other than your pre-disaster home address on the form. I know numerous people who are in the exact same insurance, damage, etc. situation I am, and they were denied the $2000 like Jagno was because "your losses are covered by insurance."

FEMA wins the prize for most uneven application of relief.

[Lindaloo]

BUT, that is a formality because of the insurance. AFTER, your adjuster comes and the insurance pays you, FEMA will cover what the insurance company doesn't.

[HurryKane]

FEMA will come back and give these folks $2000 for evacuation expenses after they've settled with insurance? That seems...unlikely.

I'm just saying it was very uneven for them to slap me a couple of grand right off the bat (a day or two after I applied with them) and not to give it to someone exactly like me who just applied a little later. This has also been the case with the $2358--most of the people who got the $2K evacuation got the $2358 as well. But not the ones who either applied after some arbitrary length of time, or who put down their own home address, or both.

I have an extra $4400 bucks in my account thanks to FEMA. My coworker, who evacuated for the same amount of time, for the same distance, and has the same insurance agent as I do, didn't get squat. The only difference is when she applied/type of address she used. She's not heard a thing from FEMA about retroactively getting $2000 for evacuation expenses.

[Lindaloo]

FEMA will come back and give these folks $2000 for evacuation expenses after they've settled with insurance? That seems...unlikely.

I'm just saying it was very uneven for them to slap me a couple of grand right off the bat (a day or two after I applied with them) and not to give it to someone exactly like me who just applied a little later. This has also been the case with the $2358--most of the people who got the $2K evacuation got the $2358 as well. But not the ones who either applied after some arbitrary length of time, or who put down their own home address, or both.

I have an extra $4400 bucks in my account thanks to FEMA. My coworker, who evacuated for the same amount of time, for the same distance, and has the same insurance agent as I do, didn't get squat. The only difference is when she applied/type of address she used. She's not heard a thing from FEMA about retroactively getting $2000 for evacuation expenses.

No, I meant that the 2000 was direct deposited ONLY if you evacuated. Sorry, I should have been more specific.

There was alot of fraud going on too right after the direct deposits.