Last Three Ohio Disaster Recovery Centers To Close Nov. 19 

Release Date: November 15, 2004
Release Number: 1556-044

» More Information on Ohio Severe Storms and Flooding

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Three Disaster Recovery Centers placed in operation in the Eastern portion of Ohio after September's Hurricane Ivan flooding will close this week at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 19, according to federal and state disaster officials.

The centers had originally been scheduled to close on Nov. 18, the application deadline, but will remain open one additional day through Friday evening.

The following sites are open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily through Friday.

A total of 12 joint federal and state centers have been opened since Sept. 24, and more than 3,654 applicants and residents visited one of the centers to receive assistance or information on cost-effective ways to reduce future disaster damages.

Residents who have questions after the DRCs close can call FEMA's Helpline from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. seven days a week, at 1-800-621-3362, or TTY 1-800-462-75875 for the speech- or hearing-impaired. Helpline representatives will be able to give the same information provided by officials at the disaster recovery center.

November 18 is the final day to call and apply for residents in 21 counties who suffered disaster damages or losses from August 27 to September 27. Assistance can continue to be received beyond the application deadline, but you must call the toll-free number above to apply. Operators are on duty to take applications from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week until further notice. Individuals with Internet access now have the option to apply for assistance on the agency’s website at http://www.fema.gov, where valuable recovery information is also available.

Individuals and business owners seeking assistance from the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can also contact the FEMA helpline; or if they have already received an application and have questions, they can contact the SBA Helpline at 1-800-359-2227 or visit the website at www.sba.gov/disaster.

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: Monday, 15-Nov-2004 12:49:35