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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Alabama residents who have registered to get help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are asked to notify FEMA of any changes to their contact information, especially during the first weeks after they registered, the agency announced this morning.

It’s especially important that the people who registered stay in contact with FEMA early in the process because FEMA housing inspectors must contact applicants to view damages, according to a FEMA statement.

For individuals and families displaced by the disaster, any changes in contact phone numbers should be updated immediately after any move, according to the statement. If a relative’s number is given, applicants should check in often to see if FEMA has been trying to set up an appointment.

If the applicant has a mobile telephone, that number should be provided to FEMA during registration or another good contact number.

Selecting the helpline option at the toll-free FEMA registration line at 800-621-3362 – or 800-462-7585 (TTY) for people with speech or hearing disabilities — provides a quick and easy way for registered applicants to update contact information and check on the status of their application, according to the statement.

Both lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, until further notice. Multilingual specialists are available at the helpline.

When calling the helpline, applicants should have their unique application identification number available so the correct file can be located quickly and securely, according to the press release. This number is given at the completion of the initial application process.

“Recovery is a long-term process for individuals and communities,” according to the statement. “By staying in touch, possible assistance can proceed quickly and more effectively.”

As of Saturday, more than 44,000 people and households had registered for disaster assistance in Alabama, and more than $21 million in grants and other aid had been approved to help survivors.

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