FEMA & Advocacy

From FEMA Answers

During the week of April 14, 2006, FEMA began a practice of refusing to talk with advocates assisting FEMA applicants. In early May 2006, advocates were able to resolve this problem informally with FEMA. If you have problems with FEMA refusing to talk with an advocate, leave a note on the discussion tab at the top of this page.

Background

FEMA began refusing to speak to "designated representatives" whether the authorization was faxed in or given verbally in a joint phone call. Not only will FEMA no longer speak to an applicant's representative, the FEMA operators will not speak to anyone, including the applicant, with the call set on speakerphone, so the advocate is not permitted to listen in. Accordingly we can no longer assist evacuees with their FEMA applications because the applicants do not understand what the operators are telling them.

The FEMA operators have made the following statements:

• "We are not permitted to speak to anyone on a speakerphone. Disconnect the speakerphone now."

• "I cannot speak to you on a speakerphone. I can only speak to you after you turn the speakerphone off."

• "What kind of advocate are you?"

• "Why are you advocating for this person?"

• "Why does this person need an advocate?"

• "Is the applicant disabled?"

• "If the applicant is not disabled, the applicant does not need an advocate."

• "Is the applicant unable to speak?"

• "If the applicant an speak for themselves they do not need an advocate."

• "No, I cannot speak to your advocate"

• "You do not need an advocate"

• "Are you disabled?"

• "Can you hear me? I can hear you. You don't need an advocate."

• "I can understand you and you can understand me. You don't need an advocate."

• "Hand the phone back to the applicant right now, you are not the applicant, I will not speak to you."

When one pro bono attorney attempting to advocate or be a "designated representative" admitted she was a lawyer, the operator stated she was not permitted to talk to her she could only speak to someone in the "Legal Department."

For months, this is how we have been helping evacuees and identifying problems. They are trying to put us out of business.