Assistance Still Available: Disaster Recovery Centers Shifting to Loan Assistance
Release Date: July 26, 2006
Release Number: 1651-012
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The last two joint Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) will transition into U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Assistance Centers in the next few days to continue to provide assistance to disaster victims.
“The establishment of these Disaster Loan Assistance Centers demonstrates our commitment to ensure that every qualified family and business receives the help they need to recover from this disaster,” said Nancy Dragani, State Coordinating Officer and Executive Director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
The Huron County DRC in Norwalk will complete its operations at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, and shift its location to the Huron County Emergency Operations Center (EOC), 225 B Shady Lane to begin functioning as the SBA Loan Assistance Center on Friday, July 29 at 8 a.m. The EOC is located behind the Sheriff’s Office. The hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice.
The DRC in Toledo will complete its operations on Saturday, July 29 at 6 p.m., and reopen as an SBA Loan Assistance Center at the Lucas County Emergency Services Training Center, 2127 Jefferson Ave., at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 31. The hours of operation for this center are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday until further notice.
SBA customer service representatives will be available to answer questions and help applicants to complete their low-interest disaster loan applications. A Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recovery specialist will also be on site at both locations to answer FEMA-related questions.
More than 1,400 Ohio residents have visited one of the four centers thus far that opened on July 8. These temporary centers were established to provide detailed program information to those who have already applied for assistance. In addition to FEMA Human Services personnel and SBA customer services representatives, disaster recovery specialists staffed the centers to answer questions and provide information on recovery, restoration and rebuilding. The Ohio Department of Insurance and the Ohio EMA staff have also supported the DRCs.
“Help is also just a toll-free phone call away,” said FEMA’s Federal Coordinating Officer Jesse Munoz. “Operators at the FEMA Helpline, 1-800-621-3362, are available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer any specific questions about your application.”
Phone lines will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily until further notice. People also may register for assistance online at their convenience at www.fema.gov. The deadline to apply is August 31.
A third SBA Loan Assistance center is available in Cuyahoga County at Valley View Village Hall, 6848 Hathaway Road. The center opened July 24 and will remain open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice.
Anyone with questions concerning SBA disaster loan applications can call the SBA Disaster Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY 1-800-877-8339 for the hearing-impaired), Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. EDT. Applications may be obtained, completed and returned to any Disaster Loan Assistance Center or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, National Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, Texas 76155. Business loan applications can also be downloaded from the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/disaster.
The deadline for physical damage applications is Aug. 31, 2006; the deadline for economic injury applications is April 2, 2007.
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA became a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 26-Jul-2006 13:46:57