Lee, Volusia County Disaster Recovery Centers To Close
Release Date: February 1, 2005
Release Number: 1539-362
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ORLANDO, Fla. -- The Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), in Lee and Volusia counties will close permanently at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, 2005. Until then, they are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Lee County
Urban America Building DRC
4150 Ford Street Extension
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Volusia County
Victoria Square Shopping Center DRC
1720 South Woodland Avenue
Deland, FL 32720
“A DRC’s continuing operation is based on the number of applicants who make use of the center’s services. In many instances, a slight decline in daily visits is expected,” said State Coordinating Officer Craig Fugate of the State Emergency Response Team (SERT). “However, should daily visits to a center decrease to a point where there is no longer a need to be open, the DRC will close and the staff will be moved to a location where there is still a demand. We will not close a center as long as there is a need.”
Applicants from the Lee and Volusia county areas may visit any other DRC now operating throughout the state. They may also call the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) and access the helpline through its voicemail system. Much of the information available at a DRC is also provided through this toll-free service.
“We continue to monitor registration and DRC activity, “ said Federal Coordinating Officer Bill Carwile. “If this information points to the need of another DRC in the future, we can set up a mobile DRC unit there.”
Individuals and business owners are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). For those who are speech- or hearing-impaired the TTY number is 1-800-462-7585. Both lines are available daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (EST), seven days a week. Final day for filing an application is Monday, Feb. 28, 2005, at 7 p.m.
Floridians 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 upper right-hand corner in a green box.
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 impact. Visit http://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.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 01-Feb-2005 14:33:26