Mims family living in hurricane-ravaged home

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is on the ground in central Florida to talk to people whose homes have been damaged by Hurricane Irma and try to get them financial help. 

For Annette Greer and Robert Tomberlin of Mims, that help can’t come soon enough. The couple — along with Greer’s mother — rode out the storm in their manufactured home.  They say a tornado Sunday night lifted the house off its foundation and moved it about four feet. 

“The plumbing underneath is all broken, [along with] the electrical wires. The floors are buckled up.  The ceilings are all cracked,” Greer said. 

The couple said they’ve  stayed in the home all week because they can’t pay for multiple nights in a hotel and they can’t take all their pets to a local shelter.

“I need to get something stable so I can shower and rest so I can go back to work.  Because I haven’t been to work in a week,” Tomberlin said.

Tomberlin said he filled out online forms for FEMA assistance on Wednesday.  On Friday, he was still waiting for a response.  

When FOX 35 reached out to FEMA spokesman Peter Sussum he said, “If their place is not livable they can go and FEMA will pay for them to stay in a local hotel.”

Sussum said people with homes that are unlivable can call 1-800-621-FEMA for help. Others should log their home damage with FEMA by logging on to www.disasterassistance.org or using the agency’s mobile app. 

"Some people had wind damage, some people had flood damage, it could be anything. We treat everyone as an individual and see what kinds of benefits they’re entitled to,” Sussem said.  

Florida counties designated for FEMA Individual Assistance include: Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.