Free Clinic For Fire Victims 

Release Date: November 6, 2003
Release Number: 1498-12

» More Information on California Wildfires

Pasadena, CA - A free clinic for fire victims will be offered Saturday, November 8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Feldheym Central Library, 555 West Sixth Street, San Bernardino.

Topics covered will include insurance claims and payouts; fraud -- what to watch for; public benefits; and housing -- rebuilding, permits, mortgages, and taxes.

Free legal help will be provided by attorney participants, including Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, LLP; Foley and Lardner, LLP; and local attorneys. Representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also will speak at the clinic, which is sponsored by the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino, Inland Counties Legal Services, and the San Bernardino County Bar Association.

FEMA administers and supports many disaster assistance programs available to those affected either directly or indirectly by the California wildfires. To register for federal/state disaster assistance, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Those who are speech or hearing impaired can call TTY 1-800-462-7585 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., seven days per week.

For more information about the free legal clinic, call (909) 381-4633.

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for ensuring California's readiness to respond to and recover from natural, manmade, and war-caused emergencies, and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery efforts.

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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Friday, 07-Nov-2003 07:56:09