Assistance Centers To Open In Napa And Marin Counties 

Release Date: February 9, 2006
Release Number: 1628-002

» More Information on California Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (OES) announced that assistance centers will open in Napa and Marin counties Thursday, February 9, 2006, to serve those who suffered damages during the severe storms of December 17, 2005 – January 3, 2006.

Affected homeowners, renters and business owners should register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, or by visiting www.FEMA.gov. The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech- or hearing-impaired. Center locations are:

Napa County: 2261 Elm Street, Building K, Napa. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It will be closed on Sundays.
Marin County: The Kaufman Building, 241 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Thursday, February 9, to Monday, February 13.

Representatives of state, FEMA and other federal agencies, and voluntary agencies, as well as individuals from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information.

OES coordinates overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for ensuring California’s readiness to respond to and recover from natural, manmade and war-caused emergencies and for assisting local governments in their emergency preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery efforts.

SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts, and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover uninsured and uncompensated losses and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

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, 13-Feb-2006 16:10:46