Four More East / West Coast DRCs Resume Operations
Release Date: September 28, 2004
Release Number: 1539-151
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Charley and Tropical Storm Bonnie
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Jeanne
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Ivan
» More Information on Florida Hurricane Frances
ORLANDO, Fla. -- State and federal officials announce that four more Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) on Florida’s East and West coasts resumed operations on Tuesday, September 28, and now continue to assist victims of Hurricanes Charley, Frances and now Jeanne. These centers suspended services during Hurricane Jeanne’s trek through Florida. Thirty-one DRCs, including seven Panhandle centers serving Hurricane Ivan applicants, are now operating.
Charlotte County
Harold Recreational Center DRC
23400 Harold Avenue
Port Charlotte, Fla.
Winn Dixie Parking Lot DRC
27680 Bermont Road
Punta Gorda, Fla.
Highlands County
George Boulevard DRC
4505 George Boulevard
Sebring, Fla.
Brevard County
Job Link DRC
5275 Babcock Street NE
Palm Bay, Fla.
All centers are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week until further notice An applicant may visit any one of the 31 DRCs. Example: if an applicant from St Lucie County goes to Sarasota County, he or she can be assisted at the North Port DRC. A list of the 31 centers now operating is on page three.
Victims of the hurricanes are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1-800-462-7585 for those who are speech or hearing-impaired. After applying, those who have questions may visit a center to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minimal losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline. The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.
Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information. Written materials about various assistance programs are also available to individuals and business owners.
The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s emergency management 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. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.
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: Wednesday, 29-Sep-2004 09:58:53