“FEMA is putting this program out to anyone who has lost a loved one to COVID or a COVID-attributed death,” Clements-Pitstick said.
Those applying will need a death certificate that says their loved one died of COVID-19 or a COVID-19 related illness and any documents with funeral expenses, Clements-Pitstick said.
Residents will be interviewed for about 20 minutes and asked to submit the necessary documents when applying, Clements-Pitstick said.
“They are also going to ask for your social security number if you are applying for the reimbursement,” she said.
If residents are not ready to call FEMA or are unsure of what is needed when they apply, Clements-Pitstick encourages them to reach out to Clark County EMA for help.
“We’re here to help. We want you to have all the information that you need to feel comfortable to apply for this because this is going to beneficial to folks,” Clements-Pitstick said.
Those looking to apply to the FEMA funeral assistance program can call 844-684-6333 starting at 9 a.m. Monday. Phone lines will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until further notice.
Clements-Pitstick warns lines may be busy during the first couple of days, but asks that residents leave messages with their names and phone numbers.
“Be patient when you call. It will be worth it in the end,” Clements-Pitstick said.
For more information about the program, or if you have any questions, residents can contact the Clark County EMA at 937-521-2175.
“We cannot process your application for you. That’s super important to understand; the local EMA can’t do that, but we can help,” Clements-Pitstick said. “If you get discouraged and don’t know how to upload documents or don’t know what that means, we can walk you through that process.”
Clark County had 13,397 cases and 287deaths of the coronavirus as of Friday, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
As of Friday, 44,736 Clark County residents had received at least one COVID-19 vaccination shot, according to ODH. That’s about 33% of the county’s total population. Nearly 25% has been fully vaccinated.
Hundreds of Clark County PrimeOhio Industrial Park employees were vaccinated on Friday.
The Clark County Combined Health District set up a vaccination clinic at Konecranes and invited 14 other companies of the industrial park, as well as their families. Gov. Mike DeWine made an appearance at the clinic.
“We had folks out there for 10 hours to cover all three shifts that may be working. We’re happy with the people that have come out,” CCCHD Health Commissioner Charles Patterson said.
Daily cases dropped under 2,000 again on Friday, with 1,946 recorded, according to ODH. Ohio is reporting an average of 1,820 cases a day.
The state reported 86 deaths on Friday, bringing the total to 18,827. ODH is updating COVID deaths data twice a week, Friday and Tuesday.
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