New Disaster Recovery Center Opening Friday, Sept. 23, in Birmingham 

Release Date: September 21, 2005
Release Number: 1605-031

» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Katrina

MONTGOMERY , Ala. -- A new Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in Birmingham at 8 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 23. The center will primarily serve displaced evacuees from Alabama coastal counties and neighboring states as they continue to recover from Hurricane Katrina.

The new center will be located at:

Jefferson County
Lake Villa
7916 2nd Avenue S.
Birmingham, AL

Friday, Sept. 23, until further notice.

Beginning Sept. 23, open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

DRCs serve as one-stop information centers. Anyone with a disaster-related need may visit any center to talk face-to-face with disaster recovery specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the state of Alabama , representatives from other government agencies with disaster-related information and volunteer organizations.

The specialists will provide information about a broad range of state/FEMA programs, including housing assistance, individual and household grants, and SBA low-interest loan applications for homeowners, renters and businesses. Mitigation specialists will also be available at the centers to provide practical guidance on rebuilding and repair measures to potentially reduce damage from future storms.

Before visiting a DRC, applicants should first register for assistance by calling toll-free 800-621-FEMA (3362) . Individuals with speech or hearing impairments who use special keyboard equipment (TTY) should call 800-462-7585 . The lines are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until further notice. Registration via the Internet is available on-line at www.fema.gov .

Applicants are reminded to bring their FEMA registration number and Social Security number when visiting a DRC. Those who have already registered for federal/state disaster assistance are not required to visit a center regarding their application, but are invited to do so for disaster-related information.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages the federal response and recovery efforts following an incident of national significance. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities to reduce the risk of loss in future disasters, trains first responders, workers 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.

DRC opening in Birmingham , Page Two

Alabama DRC Locations :

[NOTE -- through Thursday, Sept. 22, all DRCs are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except for the two centers located in the city of Mobile ; they are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily . Beginning Friday, Sept. 23, all DRCs will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, seven days a week.]

Baldwin County
Foley Events Center
20801 County Road
Foley , AL

Houston County
Houston County Volunteer Firefighter Association facility
2358 Columbia Hwy.
Dothan , AL
[Open Monday, Sept. 19, through Saturday, Sept. 24.]

Jefferson County
Lake Villa
7916 2 nd Avenue South
Birmingham , AL
[Opens Friday, Sept.23].

Montgomery County
Vaughn Plaza
2801 W. Vaughn Place
Montgomery , AL

Washington County
Woodman of the World Lodge
18051 Jordon St., US 17 N
Chatom , AL

Mobile County

[Mobile Unit]
Bayou La Batre Community Center
12745 Padgett Switch Road
Bayou La Batre , AL

[Mobile Unit]
Alabama Army National Guard facility
17530 Celeste Road
Citronelle , AL
[Open through Wednesday, Sept. 21]

Mobile Civic Center
401 Civic Center Drive
Mobile , AL

Tillman's Corner
Andrews Plaza
5566 Andrews Road
Suite A
Mobile , AL
[Opens Wednesday, Sept. 21].

Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Sep-2005 07:40:11