Two Recovery Centers Remain Open To Meet Demand 

Release Date: October 14, 2003
Release Number: 1490-51

» More Information on North Carolina Hurricane Isabel

Raleigh, NC-Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Bayboro and Washington that had been scheduled to close this week will instead remain open.

"The number of visitors tells us people there still need our help," says Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "We encourage people to come in to the recovery centers soon to get help with any questions or to meet with a specialist personally. The process is moving quickly."

More than 7,000 residents in disaster-declared counties have visited the DRCs since the first ones opened September 23. The Washington DRC has recorded more than 570 visitors since opening on that day, according to Szczech, and the Bayboro DRC recorded 325 visitors in just the first six days after opening October 8.

"By meeting one-on-one with our specialists," Szczech said, "people can get information about loans, flood insurance, building safely, and much more, all tailored to their particular situation."

The Bayboro center is located inside the Pamlico County Courthouse at 202 Main Street.

The Washington center is at the Beaufort County Department of Social Services, 632 West 5th Street.

Centers also remain open in Ahoskie, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Hertford, Swan Quarter, and Windsor. All DRC's will be open Monday - Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Centers in Kill Devil Hills, Greenville, and Roper are closing for good at 7 p.m. Wednesday (October 15). The center in Beaufort will close Friday at 7 p.m.

Before visiting the centers, residents must first have applied for aid by telephone. The FEMA toll-free numbers to apply for assistance are 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech-impaired.

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.

For more information about hurricane preparedness and recovery and specific information about Isabel, visit the FEMA website at www.fema.gov.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 14-Oct-2003 16:50:05