Sumter County Disaster Recovery Center to Close Saturday 

Release Date: March 21, 2007
Release Number: 1686-022

» More Information on Georgia Severe Storms and Tornadoes

CORDELE, Ga. -- After helping more than 1,700 people affected by severe storms and tornadoes in southwest Georgia , the Sumter County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will close Saturday, March 24 at 2 p.m., state and federal officials announced today.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency established the DRC at 1607 Martin Luther King Blvd. in Americus on March 5. Hours will be from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. through Friday and on Saturday from8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those affected by the disaster are urged to register for assistance before visiting a DRC by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech- impaired. Registration is also available online at www.fema.gov. Deadline for registering is May 2, 2007. Applicants can check the status of their applications at the same numbers.

FEMA Community Relations personnel, who work with community organizations and government agencies, will continue to be in the area for approximately a week after the DRC closing to provide information and answer inquiries.

On Monday, March 26, the Small Business Administration (SBA) will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center , at the current DRC location, 1607 Martin Luther King Blvd. , in Americus . This center will be staffed with SBA customer service specialists who can assist with disaster loan applications and answer questions. Hours of operation will be from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. until further notice.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 21-Mar-2007 09:01:29