Four Disaster Recovery Centers to Open
Release Date: September 23, 1999
Release Number: 1299-05
» More Information on South Carolina Hurricane Floyd
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the South Carolina Emergency Preparedness Division (SCEPD) are opening four Disaster Recovery Centers this week in Charleston, Georgetown and Horry counties. These centers are designed for people who have already applied for assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration number.
The centers will be staffed with representatives of federal, state and voluntary agencies who will provide information and answer questions about the disaster assistance available to residents and business owners in Charleston, Georgetown and Horry counties.
Larry Bailey, FEMA's Federal Coordinating Officer, and Stan McKinney, State Coordinating Officer, urge anyone who has suffered losses or damages as a result of Hurricane Floyd and subsequent flooding to call the toll-free application number - 1-800-462-9029. Those with hearing or speech impairments may call TTY 1-800-462-7585 to apply. The phone lines are open from 8 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week until further notice.
The Disaster Recovery Centers are at these locations: Horry County - Senior/Community Center, 1519 Mill Pond Road in Conway and the Convention Center, 2101 North Oak Street in Myrtle Beach; Charleston County - Bell South, 385 Meeting Street in Charleston; and, Georgetown County - Old Health Department, 303 N. Hazard Street in Georgetown.
The Conway County center will be open today. Those in Myrtle Beach, Charleston and Georgetown will open on Friday, September 24. All centers will be in operation from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until further notice.
"These centers are only temporary and offer residents a chance to sit down and talk face-to-face with recovery specialists after they have applied for disaster assistance," Bailey said. A variety of federal, state and voluntary agency assistance programs are available for homeowners, renters and business owners affected by Hurricane Floyd.
Anyone in Charleston, Georgetown or Horry County who suffered damage or loss as a result of the Hurricane Floyd and subsequent flooding may be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance but must apply for such assistance by calling the FEMA registration number. Programs available to eligible applicants include:
- Disaster Housing Assistance, administered by FEMA, for individuals and families whose homes were destroyed or made unlivable as a result of the hurricane and flooding. The program provides funding for temporary accommodations or repairs needed to make a home safe, secure and habitable.
- Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters and business owners for the repair, replacement or rebuilding of disaster-damaged property.
- Grants through the Individual and Family Grant program for people who have serious immediate needs resulting from the disaster that cannot be met by other sources.
- Technical advice on common-sense strategies to minimize losses in future disasters.
Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Dec-2003 08:55:08