2022
2022
Page last updated: 12/01/2022
Hurricane Ian began pounding South Carolina on September 23, 2022, before finally making landfall on September 25, 2022. On November 21, 2022, President Biden declared a major disaster.
People in the following counties are eligible to receive federal disaster assistance:
For the complete whitehouse.gov press release, please click here.
Applications for FEMA Assistance can be submitted by:
Phone: Contact FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY users can call 1-800-462-7585.
Online: Fill out the application at DisasterAssistance.gov
In-Person: You can also fill out the application at a FEMA Disaster Resource Center (DRC).
Mobile Registration Intake Center: MRICs move around regularly. They will be in an area for a short period of time to help survivors who need registration help. Visit FEMA’s Disaster Declaration page to find more information about the Mobile Registration Intake Center locations and hours.
Disaster Recovery Center: To find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DRC locator or text “DRC” and your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to locate a Disaster Recovery Center in your area.
Due to the COVID-19 nationwide emergency declared by Former President Trump and the need to protect the safety and health of all Americans; FEMA will conduct remote home inspections for disaster survivors until further notice.
This fact sheet provides information about that process. It includes links to PDF and plain text versions.
As of June 1, 2022, FEMA is beginning to transition back to in- home inspections. Remote inspections may still occur if conditions make them necessary again.
Created by FEMA, this handout provides a basic overview what to expect after you have applied for assistance.
Este folleto, creado por FEMA, brinda una descripción general básica de lo que puede esperar después de haber solicitado asistencia.
As of June 1, 2022, FEMA reinstituted verification of disaster-caused losses through in-person home inspections. Multiple virtual methods were used to inspect survivor homes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Disaster survivors’ health and safety remain FEMA’s priority so the agency will retain the ability to conduct inspections without entering the home.
This link will take you to FEMA’s fact sheet on in- home inspections.
Please check your local news and local officials for the latest safety and shelter resources.
Access information on Safety and Shelter assistance through the resources below.
Explore resources from the American Red Cross on how to stay safe and recover from a disaster.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are accessible facilities and mobile offices you can visit to learn more about FEMA and other disaster assistance programs. You may also visit to ask questions about your case. DRCs are set up in convenient areas after a disaster to make them easier to find.
A DRC may be able to help you:
To find a Disaster Recovery Center near you, use the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s DRC locator or text “DRC” and your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to locate a Disaster Recovery Center in your area.
If an emergency has forced you to evacuate your home, the Red Cross may be able to help. Search for open American Red Cross shelters near you with the “Find an Open Shelter” Tool.
A toll-free legal aid hotline is available to South Carolina victims of storm-related damage as a result of Hurricane Ian in the recently declared disaster areas of Charleston, Georgetown and Horry counties.
Hurricane survivors facing legal issues who are unable to afford a lawyer may call 1-877-797-2227 ext. 120 (toll-free) or (803) 576-3815 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays to request assistance. When connected to the hotline, callers should identify that they are seeking disaster-
related legal assistance, provide brief details of the assistance needed and in which disaster-declared county they are located. Individuals who qualify for assistance will be matched with South Carolina lawyers who have volunteered to provide free legal assistance.
For more information, please see the complete press release here.
The American Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division has teamed up with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to create Disaster Legal Services (DLS) — a program designed to help survivors navigate the aftermath of presidentially- declared disasters. The DLS program provides immediate temporary legal assistance to disaster survivors—at no charge.
Issues where DLS can help include:
Learn more through this short video.
(888) 743-5749
To help meet the growing legal needs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division has teamed up with RingCentral Inc. to create a national hotline to connect the Disaster Legal Services Program (DLS) with those seeking civil legal services.
950 Taylor St.
Columbia, SC 29201
Professional association of lawyers.
(888) 346-5592
701 S Main Street
Greenville, SC 29601
Provides free civil legal services to low-income people.
Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic. Qualifying users post their civil legal question to their state’s website. Users will then be emailed when their question receives a response. There is no fee for the use of the system or for the advice and information provided by the attorney.
ABA Free Legal Answers is a website operated by the American Bar Association (ABA) and by an entity or entities in the state where the client lives.
Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic. Attorney volunteers, who must be authorized to provide pro bono assistance in their state, log in to the website, select questions to answer, and provide legal information and advice. Volunteer attorneys will not answer criminal law questions.
ABA Free Legal Answers is a website operated by the American Bar Association (ABA) and by an entity or entities in the state where the client lives.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves South Carolina Disaster Declaration