Federal/State Disaster Recovery Center In Hanoverton To Close August 18 

Release Date: August 16, 2003
Release Number: 1484-17

» More Information on Ohio Tornadoes, Flooding, Severe Storms, and High Winds

Cridersville, OH -- The Disaster Recovery Center in Columbiana County will close at 6 p.m. on Monday, August 18, disaster recovery officials announced today.

"The Disaster Recovery Center in Hanoverton will be operating through 6 p.m. on Monday, August 18," said Richard Roman, deputy state coordinating officer. "But flood victims may visit any of the other recovery centers operating in nearby counties."

U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the SBA will continue to operate the Disaster Recovery Centers in four Ohio counties included in the July 21 flooding disaster declaration.

"The closure of a disaster recovery center does not affect a person's ability to register for disaster assistance," said Ron Sherman, federal coordinating officer. "FEMA will continue to be just a telephone call away."

"People who want to register for disaster assistance should call FEMA's toll-free registration line at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired," Sherman added.

The center, which is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., is located in Columbiana County:

Hanoverton School (Union School)
8143 State Route 9
Hanoverton, Ohio

"People who have already registered for assistance can call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) to check the status of their applications or ask questions, including the location of disaster centers in nearby counties," Sherman said.

Disaster assistance programs include housing assistance, grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance or other programs, and low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters, landlords and businesses. Disaster unemployment assistance, tax assistance and other special services are also available to eligible persons affected by the 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 Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Monday, 18-Aug-2003 08:34:41