Delayed, denied by FEMA after Hurricane Debby? Here’s what to do

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A month after Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida, FEMA representatives are still in Manatee County, and some residents are still waiting for that much needed financial help to arrive.

They’re still coming from all over Manatee County, showing up at a makeshift disaster recovery center in a library looking for help after Debby.

‘We have some people who wait towards the end to register,” FEMA spokesperson Nathan Custer said. “The sooner you register, the sooner FEMA is going to be able to take a look at your situation.”

Sandrah Oetjen, 86, is a woman who lives in Lakewood Ranch. She was one of the applicants who applied for money to help rebuild her home.

A month later, she is still waiting on the money to be dispersed into her account from FEMA.

“I don’t sleep at night,” Oetjen said. “I worry all day, and I pray all day, because I don’t know what to do any more. We have been in this house from day 1.”

8 On Your Side received a copy of her letter from her inspection. She was approved for $17,000 on Aug. 19. but she said that is not enough.

“It is more than life can bear, and fortunately we have a son who lives fairly close, and he will help us out over the phone,” Oetjen said.

We reached out to FEMA on her behalf, which said there is no average length of time for applicants to receive their money and the amount they are approved for is not always final.

“If you are still dissatisfied with a FEMA decision, you can appeal that, and at the disaster recovery center, they can get you moving in the direction of an appeal and tell you how to make that happen,” Custer said.

The deadline for applicants to apply for funding is on Oct. 9.

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