New Frances, Ivan DRCs Begin Operations
Release Date: September 24, 2004
Release Number: 1545-052
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Frances
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Ivan
ORLANDO, Fla. -- State and federal officials announce the opening of two more Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), one in Columbia County for victims of Hurricane Frances and a second in Santa Rosa County for those affected by Hurricane Ivan, bringing to 31 the number of centers now open. The new centers begin operations on Friday, September 24, at 8 a.m.
Columbia County
Old K-Mart Building DRC
2205 West US Hwy 90
Lake City, Fla.Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County Auditorium DRC
6051 Old Bagdad Highway
Milton, Fla.
The DRC presently operating in Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa County, will transition to a fixed location:
FROM: |
Gulf Breeze Life Center DRC 4115 Soundside Drive Gulf Breeze, Fla. |
TO: | St. Anne Family Life DRC 100 Daniel Drive Gulf Breeze, Fla. |
Victims of the hurricanes are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech or hearing-impaired. After applying, those who have questions may visit a center to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists.
All centers are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. An applicant may visit any one of the 31 DRCs. Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minimal losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline. The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management 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 impact. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.
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 the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Friday, 24-Sep-2004 15:08:03