The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides guidance to disaster survivors on avoiding fraud and scams related to disaster assistance.

Advice involves:

• Fraud Prevention Tips:
  • FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration representatives never charge fees for disaster assistance, inspections, or help with applications.
  • Legitimate FEMA representatives will only contact individuals who have initiated an application or requested assistance.
  • All FEMA representatives carry official ID badges with photos. FEMA shirts or jackets alone do not prove identity.
  • Inspectors will not visit homes without a scheduled appointment and never collect banking information.
• Contractor Scams:
  • FEMA does not endorse contractors. Only hire licensed professionals for repairs and inspections.
  • Always verify credentials before hiring anyone to repair or inspect a home.
• Donation Scams:
  • Verify charitable solicitations by requesting official contact details and confirming legitimacy with the charity.
  • Avoid giving cash or…

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General Relief in Placer County provides temporary cash aid for those who are not eligible for federal or state programs or other assistance programs. All General Relief applicants must apply in person and be interviewed by an Eligibility Specialist to complete the application process.

Apply for / Access your Public Benefits Online (Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKS, Disaster CalFresh, General Relief)
Go to BenefitsCal.com to apply for or renew benefits, upload verification, and view information regarding health coverage, food, and cash assistance. BenefitsCal also makes it easy for community partners to create accounts and act as application assistors.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.placer.ca.gov/2150/General-Relief-General-Assistance
• BenefitsCal - http://www.benefitscal.com/

General Relief in Placer County provides temporary cash aid for those who are not eligible for federal or state programs or other assistance programs. All General Relief applicants must apply in person and be interviewed by an Eligibility Specialist to complete the application process.

Apply for / Access your Public Benefits Online (Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKS, Disaster CalFresh, General Relief)
Go to BenefitsCal.com to apply for or renew benefits, upload verification, and view information regarding health coverage, food, and cash assistance. BenefitsCal also makes it easy for community partners to create accounts and act as application assistors.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.placer.ca.gov/2150/General-Relief-General-Assistance
• BenefitsCal - http://www.benefitscal.com/

General Relief in Placer County provides temporary cash aid for those who are not eligible for federal or state programs or other assistance programs. All General Relief applicants must apply in person and be interviewed by an Eligibility Specialist to complete the application process.

Apply for / Access your Public Benefits Online (Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKS, Disaster CalFresh, General Relief)
Go to BenefitsCal.com to apply for or renew benefits, upload verification, and view information regarding health coverage, food, and cash assistance. BenefitsCal also makes it easy for community partners to create accounts and act as application assistors.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.placer.ca.gov/2150/General-Relief-General-Assistance
• BenefitsCal - http://www.benefitscal.com/

Following a wildfire, storm, or other disaster, residents who continue to experience outage issues or other utility concerns after contacting their utility provider should submit a complaint with the California Public Utilities Commission's online form.

Be ready to provide:

• Name of the Utility Provider
• Full name of the customer. If you are not the customer of record, you must be authorized to discuss the account with the utility company.
• Account Number
• Service Address (the physical location of the service. Is it a residence or business?).
• Mailing Address (if different from service address).
• Area code and phone number that pertains to the dispute.
• A phone number where we can reach you.
• Details of your complaint. Please be specific and provide as much information as possible such as a chronological order of dispute. For example, the dates that charges were billed, the location of the safety concern, etc.
• Include the utility provider’s response to your concern, if available.
• If you have s…

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Placer County Public Health provides vaccine information and access for Placer County residents, including safety-net clinics for eligible children and limited COVID-19 vaccinations for uninsured adults.

Services include:

• Flu, COVID-19, and routine vaccines for children and adults
• Safety-net immunization clinics for VFC-eligible children ages 4–18
• Vaccine appointments by phone, except for Kaiser Permanente members (who must schedule directly with Kaiser)
• Resources for school-required and travel immunizations

Web pages

• Home - https://www.placer.ca.gov/3095/Immunization-Program

FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides financial and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs. IHP assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster. The assistance is intended to meet your basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.

IHP Assistance may include:

• Funds for temporary housing while you are unable to live in your home, such as rental assistance, or reimbursement for hotel costs
• A temporary housing unit, if approved for the disaster, when you are not able to use rental assistance due to a lack of available housing resources
• Funds to support the repair or replacement of owner-occupied homes that serve as the household’s primary residence, including privately-owned access routes, such as driveways, roads, or bridges

Apply for Assistance

​You can find more information on the application proc…

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California Department Of Insurance has a Senate Bill 824 (2018) that requires a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance companies canceling or non-renewing residential insurance policies in certain areas within or adjacent to a fire perimeter after a declared state of emergency is issued by the Governor. https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/140-catastrophes/MandatoryOneYearMoratoriumNonRenewals.cfm

If you receive a Notice of Cancellation or Non-Renewal after a declared state of emergency:
If you received a notice of cancellation or non-renewal after the declared state of emergency that relates to the fire associated with your Zip Code, and the reason for the cancellation or non-renewal relates to wildfire risk, you should:

1. Contact your insurance company to seek a reinstatement of the policy.
2. If your insurer refuses, you are encouraged to contact us and file a Request for Assistance at http://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm.

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United Policyholders (UP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to be a trustworthy and useful information resource and an effective voice for consumers of all types of insurance in all 50 states.

UP's work is divided into three programs:

• Roadmap to Recovery provides tools and resources for solving insurance problems after an accident, loss, illness, or other adverse event. For example, the program provides free, trustworthy help navigating the process of returning to a wildfire damaged area, repairing and replacing damaged and destroyed property, and collecting all available insurance funds.
• Roadmap to Preparedness promotes disaster preparedness and insurance literacy through outreach and education in partnership with civic, faith based, business, and other non-profit associations.
• Advocacy and Action advances pro-consumer laws and public policy related to insurance matters.
  
  

Web pages

• Home - https://uphelp.org/
• Roadmap to Recovery - https://uphelp.org/recovery/
• Roadmap to Pre…

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LawHelpCA.org has legal information on the following issues:

• Abuse Protection
• Civil Rights
• Consumer
• Disability
• Disaster
• Families
• Healthcare
• HIV & AIDS
• Housing
• Immigration
• Indigenous Issues
• Public Benefits
• Record Clearing
• Seniors
• Veterans
• Wills & Estates
• Work

Additionally, LawHelpCA.org offers an updated directory of legitimate and pre-screened organizations that offer free or low-cost legal advice and representation.

Web pages

• Home - https://www.lawhelpca.org/
• Law help disaster relief information - https://www.lawhelpca.org/disaster-relief-information
• Pro Bono Net - https://www.probono.net/
  
  

This is one of many possible First 5 Nevada County Ready to Grow (R2G) program resources.