New Disaster Recovery Centers Open In Meridian And Waynesboro 

Release Date: October 9, 2005
Release Number: 1604-064

» More Information on Mississippi Hurricane Katrina

JACKSON, Miss. -- State and federal officials have opened two new Disaster Recovery Centers in Meridian and Waynesboro in Eastern Mississippi to primarily serve individuals and families from Clarke, Lauderdale and Wayne counties impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Robert Latham, director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), urged disaster victims to register for assistance before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech- or hearing-impaired. Those who have questions may visit the center to meet with recovery specialists in person.

“Persons who have suffered losses or damages as a result of Hurricane Katrina may go to any Disaster Recovery Center to follow up on their registrations and receive information on programs,” said Latham. “If a person cannot visit a Disaster Recovery Center, assistance is still available by calling the toll-free Helpline number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).”

The new Disaster Recovery Centers are located at:

Old WIN Job Center
1604 11th St.
Meridian, MS

City Auditorium
1008 Benton St.
Waynesboro, MS

Disaster Recovery Centers throughout Mississippi will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday until further notice.

Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information. Officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be available to discuss disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. Written materials about various assistance programs are also available to individuals and business owners.

Other Disaster Recovery Centers operating in Mississippi as of Oct. 8 are:

Biloxi Sports Stadium
281 Lee Street
Biloxi

Snyder Recreation Center
2520 Pass Road
Biloxi

Old Bill’s Dollar Store
524 Schwem Ave.
Brookhaven

Town Square Center
932 Highway 13 South
Columbia

D.A.V. Hall
2600 23rd Ave.
Gulfport

C.E. Roy Community Center
300 East 5th St.
Hattiesburg

Old Ruby Tuesday
Metrocenter Mall-Suite 1002
3645 Highway 80
Jackson

Cameron Center
711 N. 10th Ave.
Laurel

Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
21500 B Street
Long Beach (Mobile unit previously
located at Pass Christian High School)

Old Blockbuster Building
1015 Delaware Ave.
McComb

Pelican Landing Convention Center
6217 Highway 613
Moss Point

Old K-Mart Building
3164 Bienville Road
Ocean Springs

Mississippi Mall
1305 S. Haugh St.
Picayune

1403 S. Main St.
Poplarville

Graham Building
40 Deep South Lane
Purvis

Walthall Library
707 Union Road
Tylertown

K-Mart Center
Nicholson Road
Waveland (mobile unit)

Old Dollar Store
530 D Central Ave.
Wiggins

Wilkinson Industrial Complex
1495 U.S. Highway 61 South
Woodville

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 11-Oct-2005 08:22:54