Privacy Notice

PRIVACY Notice

AUTHORITY: FEMA collects, uses, maintains, retrieves, and disseminates the records within this system under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act), Pub. L. No. 93-288, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207; 6 U.S.C. §§ 776-77, 795; the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3325(d), 7701(c)(1); the Government Performance and Results Act, Pub. L. No. 103-62, as amended; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978; Executive Order 13411, “Improving Assistance for Disaster Victims,” August 29, 2006; and Executive Order 12862 “Setting Customer Service Standards,” September 11, 2003, as described in this notice.

PRINCIPAL PURPOSE(S): This information is being collected for the primary purpose of determining eligibility and administrating financial assistance under a Presidentially-declared disaster. Additionally, information may be reviewed internally within FEMA for quality assurance purposes and used to assess FEMA’s customer service to disaster assistance applicants. FEMA collects the social security number (SSN) to verify an applicant’s identity and to prevent a duplication of benefits.

ROUTINE USE(S):

FEMA may share the personal information of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents contained in their disaster assistance files outside of FEMA as generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b) of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. FEMA may share the personal information of non-citizens, as permitted by the following Privacy Impact Assessments: DHS/FEMA/PIA-012(a) Disaster Assistance Improvement Plain (DAIP) (Nov. 16, 2012); DHS/FEMA/PIA-027 National Emergency Management Information System – Individual Assistance (NEMIS-IA) Web-based and Client-based Modules (June 29, 2012); DHS/FEMA/PIA-015 Quality Assurance Recording System (Aug. 15, 2014). This includes sharing your personal information with federal, state, tribal, local agencies and voluntary organizations to enable individuals to receive additional disaster assistance, to prevent duplicating your benefits, or for FEMA to recover disaster funds received erroneously, spent inappropriately, or through fraud as necessary and authorized by routine uses published in DHS/FEMA-008 Disaster Recovery Assistance Files Notice of System of Records, 78 Fed. Reg. 25,282 (Apr.30, 2013) and upon written request, by agreement or as required by law.

CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION: The disclosure of information, including the SSN, on this form is voluntary; however, failure to provide the information requested may delay or prevent the individual from receiving disaster assistance.

Phone Script:

“We are required to provide you with the following Privacy Act Statement.
The Privacy Act of 1974 protects your rights as to how FEMA uses and shares your information.
The Stafford Act and other authorities allow FEMA to collect this information to determine eligibility and administer financial assistance as a result of a Presidentially-declared major disaster or emergency. FEMA may share your information outside of FEMA with entities such as with States, tribes, local governments, voluntary organizations, and other organizations in accordance with published routine uses. FEMA shares this information to enable you to receive additional disaster assistance, or for FEMA to recover disaster funds received erroneously, spent inappropriately, or through fraud and as necessary to prevent a duplication of benefits and to prevent future disaster losses.
FEMA may record phone calls for internal quality assurance purposes. Furnishing your SSN and other requested information is voluntary, however, failure to provide may delay or prevent you from receiving assistance.”
If you knowingly make false statements to obtain disaster aid, it is a violation of federal and State laws.

Automated Message:

“We are required to provide you with the following Privacy Act Statement.
The Privacy Act of 1974 protects your rights as to how FEMA uses and shares your information.
The Stafford Act and other authorities allow FEMA to collect this information to determine eligibility and administer financial assistance as a result of a Presidentially- declared major disaster or emergency.
FEMA may share your information outside of FEMA with entities such as with States, tribes, local governments, voluntary organizations, and other organizations in accordance with published routine uses. FEMA shares this information to enable you to receive additional disaster assistance, or for FEMA to recover disaster funds received erroneously, spent inappropriately, or through fraud and as necessary to prevent a duplication of benefits and to prevent future disaster losses.
FEMA may record phone calls for internal quality assurance purposes. Furnishing your SSN and other requested information is voluntary, however, failure to provide may delay or prevent you from receiving assistance.”
If you knowingly make false statements to obtain disaster aid, it is a violation of federal and State laws.