Disaster Recovery Center To Open In Hutchinson 

Release Date: June 8, 2007
Release Number: 1699-028

» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

WICHITA, Kan. -- A state-federal Disaster Recovery Center will open Sunday at 1 p.m. in Reno County at 2806 West Fourth Ave., Hutchinson.

The Hutchinson Disaster Recovery Center will be open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Homeowners, renters and business owners in 18 counties designated for Individual Assistance are eligible for federal and state disaster aid to help Kansans recover from the tornadoes, severe storms and flooding of May 4-18. The counties are: Barton, Clay, Cloud, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Leavenworth, Lyon, Osborne, Ottawa, Phillips, Pratt, Reno, Riley, Rice, Saline, Shawnee and Stafford.

Residents in need of assistance are urged to register first by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for applicants with special speech or hearing needs. Registration is also available on the Internet at www.fema.gov.

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be in the Disaster Recovery Center to answer questions about registering for disaster assistance and hazard mitigation measures.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) representatives at Disaster Recovery Centers meet individually with each resident or business owner to answer any questions about SBA's disaster loan program, help them complete a disaster loan application and accept completed applications.  Anyone not able to visit a Disaster Recovery Center should call 1-800-659-2955 or visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror. 

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, economic status or retaliation.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, you should call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or contact your State Office of Equal Rights.  If you are suspicious of any abuse of FEMA programs, please contact the Fraud hotline at 1-800-323-8603.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

Last Modified: Friday, 08-Jun-2007 17:51:07