Yellowstone County Disaster and Emergency Services
(General Services)
Duane Winslow, Director
County Courthouse - Room 312
Billings, Montana 59107
(406) 256-2775 
(406) 256-6947(fax) 
dwinslow@co.yellowstone.mt.gov 
Related Links

FEMA Assessment Forms - Flooding 2011

Registration Information for Homeowners & Businesses

Disaster Assistance for homeowners, renters and business owners affected by flooding during the spring of 2011 in Montana.

Apply by Phone: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
(TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech or hearing impaired)

Apply Online: www.disasterassistance.gov

Please have the following information available when you call:

Current contact information Address of the damaged property
Social Security number Brief description of damages
Current mailing address Insurance information
(if you have insurance)

If you are eligible for disaster assistance, you may choose to have the assistance check deposited directly into your bank account.

Government disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. Some disaster aid does not have to be paid back, while other types of help may come in the form of loans.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religiou, national origin, age, disabilty, or economic status. Anyone who believes he or she has been discriminated against should contact the Federal Coordinating Officer or the State Coordinating Officer.

More Information for Homeowners | More Information for Businesses

General Information

Assistance can be provided in three categories: Public Assistance, Business Assistance and Individual Assistance. Any government financial assistance in all three categories is ONLY available after insurance pays for their eligible damages, and then assistance beyond that is in the form of low interest loans. Normally there are no government handouts of cash to businesses and/or individuals after a disaster.


1. Public Assistance (for government property)
For Yellowstone County, Billings and Laurel - damage to streets, roads, bridges and other infrastructure may also be covered by insurance so government assistance will begin after insurance coverage has been exhausted.

For public property damage beyond what insurance pays, the entities may be eligible for state or federal disaster funds if:
Each has eligible uninsured expenditures beyond their 2 mill emergency levy (the 2 mill levy is local government's commitment to the emergency).

If it is a Presidential Disaster Declaration (FEMA), both the cities and county have to commit, expend and document expenses up to the 2 mill amount, without actually levying that amount, before they are eligible for federal funds on a 75/25% reimbursement.

These expenses can be response and recovery costs from normal operating budgets. The county and cities would each split their 25% share individually with the state.


2. Individual Assistance (for homeowners property flooded and/or damaged)
For individual homeowners, if there are enough homes destroyed or with enough major damage to qualify for the "Individual Assistance" disaster declaration FEMA will conduct assessments and make determinations if funds will be released. If there is no FEMA assistance, the homeowners must rely on their own insurance, themselves, or neighbors/volunteers to do cleanup work.


3. Business Assistance or Economic Injury Loans would come in the form of low interest loans from the SBA and businesses are only eligible for expenses beyond what it covered by insurance. More Information on SBA Loans

 
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