Local Assistance Center Opens In Ventura County
Release Date: November 2, 2003
Release Number: 1498-04
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Pasadena, CA - A Local Assistance Center will open in Cabrillo, California, Monday, November 3 to further help individuals and businesses affected by the California wildfires. The Center is a joint effort of the State of California, the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services.
The opening of the new center marks continuing response to California Governor Gray Davis' executive order of October 28. That order directed the Office of Emergency Services and other California state agencies to help local governments and FEMA expedite the establishment of these centers
The new Ventura County Local Assistance Center will be located at 730 Paseo Camarillo, Camarillo. Its hours will be Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Days and hours may be extended as needed.
Local Assistance Centers provide more detailed program information to those who have already registered for assistance under President Bush's October 27 disaster declaration and who may have further questions.
While financial assistance is not directly provided at these centers, representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies will be present. The disaster programs available include housing assistance, other-needs assistance, and low-interest disaster loans. Housing assistance consists of financial and direct assistance to eligible homeowners and renters displaced from their pre-disaster primary residences. Other-needs assistance consists of awards for other uninsured disaster-related necessary expenses and serious needs, including personal property, medical, dental, or transportation expenses. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration provide funds for permanent replacement of disaster-damaged property.
Applicants are encouraged to register by using the FEMA toll-free registration number: 1 800 621 FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1 800 462 7585 for those who are speech or hearing impaired. Recovery specialists are available to take calls from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily.
The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinates overall state agency response to major disasters in support of local government. The office is responsible for assuring 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.
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, 03-Nov-2003 07:45:08