Disaster Recovery Center in Portsmouth To Close But Help Is Still Available
Release Date: November 21, 2003
Release Number: 1491-120
RICHMOND, Va. -- The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Recreation Center, 4300 George Washington Highway in Portsmouth will close at 5 p.m. Saturday, November 29. State and federal officials want residents to know that help is still just a phone call away.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) toll-free Helpline and registration number is available for those who have not yet applied for assistance, have questions, or want to check on the status of their applications. The number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 . Both the Helpline and registration numbers are open daily 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The deadline to apply for assistance is December 8, 2003.
The following three DRCs will remain open in the Commonwealth. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the centers are closed on Sundays.
- Gloucester DRC: Abingdon Fire and Rescue facility, 2676 Hayes Road.
- >Poquoson DRC: Poquoson City Hall, 500 City Hall Avenue in the City of Poquoson.
- >Yorktown DRC: located in the Caritas Building, 1000 Old York Hampton Highway
Residents of localities that have been declared disaster areas can visit any DRC that remains open throughout disaster declared jurisdictions in Virginia. They can be located by visiting the Virginia Department of Emergency Management's (VDEM) website at: www.vaemergency.com .
FEMA and VDEM opened the centers so that people who sustained losses and damage as a result of Hurricane Isabel could meet one-on-one with disaster specialists to check the status of their application; learn about a variety of federal, state and local disaster programs; and get information on how to prevent future damages from severe storms.
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: Friday, 21-Nov-2003 14:08:24