MITIGATION OUTREACH CONTINUES IN MISSOURI

BE ALERT IN DISASTER RECOVERY

JEFFERSON CITY, M= o.— Many businesses—some legitimate and some not so legitimate—foll= ow disaster events and offer services of various kinds to those who have suffe= red losses. Be cautious of anyone offering assistance, especially for a fee.

Con artists often lack pro= per identification, charge a fee to have a person’s name put on a list or= to have forms filled out, or offer to increase the amount of your disaster dam= age assessment. No one but the Federal Emergency Management Agency can determine the amount of your FEMA assistance and no one but the U.S. Small Business Administration can determine the amount of your loan.

Just because someone wears= a FEMA or SBA shirt or jacket is not absolute proof of someone’s affiliation with an agency. Under no circumstances are FEMA and other agency representatives allowed to accept money. FEMA inspectors assess damage, but= do not hire or endorse specific contractors.

Rememb= er this good rule of thumb: If it sounds too good to be true, = it probably is.

Residents = who have questions concerning the authenticity of any credential should contact their local law enforcement officials. Beware of common ploys, such as phone calls from people asking for personal information. The only time FEMA will = ask for personal banking information is when a registrant for FEMA assistance requests direct deposit for checks. Never give out personal information casually over the telephone. If in doubt about a caller, calling them back = may help verify their identity.

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office maintains a Consumer Protec= tion Hotline at 1-800-392-8222. A complaint may be filed online= at http://ago.mo.gov/consumer= complaint.htm. Also, FEMA encourages anyone witnessing fraudulent activity to contact the = U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General hotline= at 1-800-323-8603.

Below are valuable tips pr= operty owners may use in hiring contractors, before or after a disaster:

Get a wr= itten estimate. Compare services and prices before making a final decisi= on. Also, read the fine print. Some contractors charge a fee for a written estimate, which is often applied to the

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BE ALERT IN DISASTER RECOVERY– = Page 2

cost of subsequent repairs they make.<= /o:p>

Check references. Contractors should be willing to provide names of prev= ious customers. Call several former customers who had similar work done to = make sure they were satisfied with the job.
Use a reliable, li= censed contractor, and check out a contractor before you sign a contract or p= ay any money. Checking = with local authorities, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office or the Better Business Bureau may be helpful.
Ask for proof of insurance. Make sure the contractor carries general liability insu= rance and workers’ compensation. If the contractor is not insured, the homeowner may be liable for accidents that occur on the property.
Insist on a written contract. A complete contract should clearly state all tasks to be performed, all associated costs and the payment schedule. Never sig= n a blank contract or one with blank spaces. Make sure the contract clearly states who will apply for the necessary permits or licenses. Y= ou may want to have a lawyer review the contract if substantial costs are involved. Keep a copy of the contract for your records.
Get guarantees in writing. Any guarantees made by the contractor should be written i= nto the contract. The guarantee should clearly state what is guaranteed, w= ho is responsible for the guarantee and how long the guarantee is valid. =
Obtain a= local building permit, if required. Permits may be required for site wor= k, other than demolition, and for reconstruction. Contact your local government for permit information.
Make fin= al payments when the work is completed. Do not sign completion papers= or make the final payment until the work is completed to your satisfactio= n. A reputable contractor will not threaten you or pressure you to sign if = the job is not finished properly.
Pay by credit card, if possible, or by check. Avoid on-the-spot cash payment= s. The safest route is to use a credit card, if at all possible. A reasonable down payment is 30 percent of the total cost of the project= , to be paid upon initial delivery of materials. State and Federal law gives consumers a three-day “cooling off” period for unsolicited door-to-door sales of more than $25. This includes contracts signed= at your home.

Some con= tracts are cancellable; some are not. Be careful what you sign and if there i= s a cancellation clause, follow it exactly. Send the notification by registered mail with a return receipt to be signed by the contractor.

Those who suffered disaster-related damages should reg= ister with FEMA by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- and hearing-impaired. Telephone lines are open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Central Daylight Time, seven days a week. Online, register anytime at www.fema.gov. Callers must provide their = legal name and Social Security number, address of the damaged property and insura= nce information.

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FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing f= or, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from a= ll domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.<= /span>

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for t= he long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of o= ther agencies or organizations. For information about SBA programs, applicants m= ay call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339).

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, nationality, age, disability, English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you or someone you known has been discr= iminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY Call 800-462-7= 585.

EDITO= RS: For more information on Missouri disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://= sema.dps.mo.gov.