If evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita applied for federal assistance more than two weeks ago and have not yet heard back from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), they may need to check on the status of their applications.

Evacuees can follow up by calling the FEMA toll-free line, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585, or by logging onto www.fema.gov. Individuals who have not yet applied for assistance may do so by calling the same toll-free number or by registering online at FEMA’s web site.

Everyone is urged to call during off-peak hours, such as late at night and early in the morning, due to the large volume of calls currently being processed. “We understand that people become uneasy if they haven’t received information about their applications,” said Paul Fay, federal coordinating officer at the Atlanta Joint Field Office. “However, it’s important for them to call FEMA to check on the status instead of re-registering, which may delay the application process and their assistance.”

FEMA is providing assistance to more than 76,000 hurricane-stricken state evacuees who are now in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Federal assistance includes funds for food, shelter, clothing, medical and dental care, funeral expenses and other emergency needs, in addition to financial and direct housing aid to eligible individuals.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.