As Iowans apply for federal assistance to help reclaim their flooded homes and businesses, FEMA is hiring temporary workers to help sort through their applications. The disaster agency plans to hire around 60 people to process paperwork and inspect damaged property, among other jobs.
“Site inspectors would be those individuals who would be going to homes that have been damaged by the floods and then they would be looking at that damage for possible determination of eligibility,” said FEMA spokesperson Deanna Frazier.
The temporary workers will primarily be based in FEMA’s Des Moines office, but Frazier said a few will be located in southwest Iowa where some of the most extensive flood damage occurred. The positions, which will be listed at USAjobs.gov, are initially scheduled to last 120 days. “Then they’re reassessed and it’s determined whether that position is still needed,” Frazier said, adding that the jobs may be renewed for up to one year.
As conditions in the flood zone change, FEMA is closing two disaster recovery centers in Harrison and Woodbury counties in western Iowa.
People who are eligible for FEMA funding may receive rental assistance or grants to help them restore their homes to a safe condition. Before applying for assistance, people must first register with the agency. The registration deadline is May 22.
