In a meeting with The Star Press, the congressman asked for the newspaper's help in distributing the FEMA hotline number.

That number is 1-800-621-FEMA.

Affected residents cannot assume the government already knows about their needs, Pence said."You need to initiate contact with FEMA," he said.

The federal government has approved 28 Indiana counties for assistance to help eligible individuals and business owners recover from recent storms and flooding that began May 30.