Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: FEMA Home Inspections Underway for Oklahoma Wildfire Survivors
FEMA Home Inspections Underway for Oklahoma Wildfire Survivors
OKLAHOMA CITY – After Oklahoma residents apply for FEMA assistance for the March wildfires, a home inspection may be necessary to help determine whether the home is safe, sanitary and livable, or to confirm its present condition
FEMA recognizes that many survivors of the March wildfires suffered significant or total loss of property
The FEMA inspection process requires in-person verification of the applicant, co-applicant or someone authorized to speak on their behalf, as well as the address of the damaged dwelling
Providing photographs or video of the damaged property before and after the disaster can help the inspector to accurately assess the extent of the damage
FEMA inspectors do not make any decisions about eligibility for assistance
Information gathered during the inspection is only one of several criteria FEMA uses to determine if applicants are eligible for federal assistance
If the home is standing, the housing inspector will consider:The structural soundness of the home, both inside and outside
Whether the electrical, gas, heat, plumbing and sewer/septic systems are in working order
Whether the home is safe to access and can be entered and exited safely
If the home is not standing, the housing inspector will:Verify the current state of the property to accurately assess the extent of the damage
All FEMA representatives have official identification
Housing inspectors will make an appointment with the applicant before the visit
They will already have the applicant’s FEMA application number
They carry photo identification and will show it to the applicant
For security reasons, federal identification may not be photographed
Inspectors will never ask for, or accept, money
Their service is free
FEMA inspectors will call or text applicants to arrange to meet at the home
They will leave messages and/or texts at the phone number listed on the FEMA application
These communications may come from unfamiliar phone numbers so it is important that applicants respond to ensure their applications continue to move forward
A typical home inspection takes about 45 minutes to complete
After the inspection, applicants should allow seven to 10 days for processing
If they have questions about the status of their application, they can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
To learn more about FEMA home inspections and how to identify an inspector, visit FEMA Home Inspections
For the latest information about Oklahoma’s recovery, visit fema
gov/disaster/4866
Follow FEMA Region 6 on social media at x
com/FEMARegion6 and at facebook
com/FEMARegion6/
thomas
wise
Mon, 06/09/2025 – 14:00