Florida Disaster Recovery Centers Closed On Sundays
Now open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Release Date: November 28, 2005
Release Number: 1609-033
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Wilma
ORLANDO, Fla -- Florida Disaster Recovery Centers will no longer be open on Sundays, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT).
The new Disaster Recovery Center hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Disaster Recovery Centers provide a single location where people are able to talk face-to-face with disaster recovery specialists. No cash, checks, debit cards or vouchers are distributed at Disaster Recovery Centers.
Four weeks after the first counties were designated for individual-assistance programs, DRCs across the affected area had already served 77,344 residents.
To apply for federal disaster assistance, residents must first register with FEMA. There are two ways to register: log on to www.fema.gov or call FEMA’s toll-free number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for those with speech or hearing impairment. Both numbers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.
Disaster assistance may include grants to help pay for temporary housing, minor home repair and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) also are available for residential and business losses not covered by insurance.
The State Emergency Response Team (SERT) is a collaboration of Florida’s state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impacts. Visit www.floridadisaster.org for the latest information on the hurricane relief efforts.
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. For more information visit www.fema.gov.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 29-Nov-2005 09:49:02