North Port DRC To Temporarily Suspend Operations
Release Date: September 29, 2004
Release Number: 1539-155
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- The George Mullen Building Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), at 4956 City Center Building, Room 4 in North Port, will temporarily suspend operations on Wednesday, September 29, at 7 p.m. Resources and personnel from this DRC will be shifted to other sites throughout the state. This suspension is due to a decrease in applicant activity at the center. Operations will not cease completely and a return to this site may occur should the need be evident.
Applicants from Sarasota County and the surrounding area will still have access to two Charlotte County DRCs that continue to operate:
| Harold Recreation Center DRC 23400 Harold Boulevard Port Charlotte, Fla. |
Winn Dixie Parking Lot DRC 27680 Bermont Road Punta Gorda, Fla. |
Victims of the hurricanes are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech or hearing-impaired. After applying, those who have questions may visit a center to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists.
All centers are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information. Written materials about various assistance programs are also available to individuals and business owners.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minimal losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline. The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.
On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 29-Sep-2004 16:39:10