Release Date: January 15, 2005
Release Number: 1539-346
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- Florida’s State Emergency Response Team (SERT) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today that all FEMA and state disaster assistance functions will observe normal operating hours on Monday, Jan. 17—Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – to assist the victims of the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004.
FEMA offices throughout the state, including all Disaster Recovery Centers, the News Desk, the Disaster Field Office (DFO) and the Annex DFOs in Port Charlotte and Pensacola, will be open to process applications and assist applicants from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Additionally, the toll-free teleregistration numbers and Helpline will maintain regular hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST. To register for assistance or to get information about their cases applicants are encouraged to call 1-800 621-FEMA. Those with speech or hearing impairments should call the TTY number 1-800-462-7585.
Applicants may also register for assistance online. Those with access to a computer can enter the FEMA website at http://www.fema.gov. Look for and click on the words “Register for Disaster Assistance Online” located in the right-hand area in the green box.
Floridians have until Feb. 28, 2005 to apply for assistance.
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.
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.
Last Modified: Monday, 17-Jan-2005 14:44:43