New Hours For Disaster Registration
Release Date: November 8, 2003
Release Number: 1498-16
» More Information on California Wildfires
Pasadena, CA -- Registration hours will change Monday, November 10, for people applying for state and federal disaster assistance, officials said today. The toll-free registration line, 1-800-621-3362, will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time seven days a week. The TTY number for speech- and hearing-impaired individuals is 1-800-462-7585. People who suffered damage during the Southern California Wildfires can register for a wide range of federal, state, and voluntary disaster assistance programs by calling.
State and federal disaster officials urged those who have suffered losses in the fires to register for assistance. "The sooner those affected by the fires register with FEMA, the sooner they will have access to help," said Dallas Jones, state coordinating officer for the recovery effort.
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: Monday, 10-Nov-2003 07:56:34