New Disaster Recovery Center Opens In San Bernardino County
Release Date: November 17, 2003
Release Number: 1498-27
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PASADENA, Calif. -- A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open in the town of Blue Jay near Lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino County, California, Wednesday, November 19, 2003, to further help individuals and businesses affected by the California wildfires. The DRC, managed by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will include representatives of the California Department of Social Services and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as well as information from other governmental and voluntary agencies.
The opening of the new center marks continuing response to the California Governor's executive order of October 28. That order directed the OES and other California state agencies to help local governments and FEMA expedite the establishment of these centers.
The new Blue Jay Disaster Recovery Center will be located at the Alpine Camp and Conference Center, 415 Clubhouse Drive, Blue Jay. Its hours will be 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9.a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The DRC will be closed on Sundays.
Disaster Recovery Centers provide more detailed program information to those who have already registered for assistance under President George Bush's October 27 disaster declaration and who may have further questions.
Disaster programs about which information is 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 the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 18-Nov-2003 08:23:04