| Access
to cash post-Hurricane Katrina | | |
| The debit card pilot program did
provide financial assistance to those living in shelters in Houston, San Antonio
and Dallas. FEMA reported that it had distributed 60 percent of the agency's cards
by the end of the day on Friday and had completed debit card distribution at all
sites on Saturday. The debit card, officials underscored, had been meant only
to complement FEMA's traditional modes of distribution: direct deposit and check.
Not all families that fled their homes were eligible
to receive the debit cards. "For instance, you may have
some people who have insurance and insurance is meeting their living expenses
while they have been displaced," said Ed Conley, a FEMA spokesman in Houston.
"You have some people who may be looking at an option such as a cruise ship
where all of their needs are going to be met. It is going to vary by family." As
of September 13, FEMA-issued debit cards provided $20.6 million in relief grants
to individuals and families in Texas shelters. Total FEMA expedited assistance
payments have provided more than 430,000 affected households across America with
emergency cash totaling more than $965.8 million. The $2,000
expedited assistance grant is an initial emergency payment drawn down by those
eligible for FEMA assistance. It is meant to pay for the emergency needs of food,
shelter, clothing, personal necessities and medical expenses. Individuals calling
in or going online need only register once with FEMA. Registration puts into motion
the processing of expedited assistance applications as well as any further aid
for which evacuees and storm survivors are eligible. The maximum assistance per
household through the agency is $26,200. Despite the much-publicized
problems surrounding the distribution of the FEMA debit card, the Red Cross has
indicated that it will move forward with its own debit card program. The aid the
charity will provide, however, will be considerably less generous than that offered
by FEMA. Red Cross aid will range from $300 for an individual up to $1,500 for
a family of five or six people. Larger families are eligible for greater financial
assistance. In addition to debit cards, the Red Cross also
is considering direct deposit, traveler's checks or other means to get assistance
to victims.
Lesson for the future:
Be prepared
Barr urges people not to forget about their financial documents
when making contingency plans for future natural disasters. "Most people
might think that, when they're evacuating, they'll need their debit card or their
credit card, and they're good to go. But as we've seen, if there are problems
with the phone system, you're going to need more than that." A
driver's license is a must-have for identification purposes, and a recent copy
of a bank statement can be extremely helpful, too. "It shows not only your
latest account balances, but it possesses critical bank account numbers."
These would be the bare minimum of documents to bring along,
says Barr. "The more financial information you have in
hand, the better are the chances of your being able to get some cash into your
hands to take care of your immediate needs." | 
