How Illinois residents can get emergency help for tornado disaster

After damages caused by the December 10th tornadoes, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation naming 28 counties as disaster areas.

The included counties are: Bond, Cass, Champaign, Coles, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Greene, Grundy, Iroquois, Jackson, Jersey, Kankakee, Lawrence, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike, Sangamon, Shelby, Tazewell and Woodford County.

On December 14th, the federal government declared 13 Illinois counties that were hit by tornadoes as disaster areas, making them eligible for federal assistance.

The following counties were in the federal declaration: Bond, Cass, Coles, Effingham, Fayette, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Montgomery, Morgan, Moultrie, Pike and Shelby County.

If you are in need of emergency services in Illinois:

• For immediate emergency help, always call 9-1-1.
• For shelter, contact the Red Cross at 1 (800) 733-2767 or download the Red Cross Emergency App here. 
• For shelter and food, contact organizations featured on the following websites:
  • Illinois Emergency Services 
  • Illinois.gov Financial & Insurance Issues - After a Disaster
• For help from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), visit IEMA's website here.
• For help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), visit FEMA’s website here.
  • Call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 (7-1-1 and Video Relay Services are available) 
  • Call FEMA (TTY) at 1-800-462-7585.

Also, HUD is providing immediate foreclosure relief for families who have FHA insured mortgages and to Native American borrowers guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program. For assistance, call your loan servicer or FHA's Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320.