Disaster Recovery Centers Opening In Six New Locations 

Residents may visit any center in any area for information

Release Date: February 3, 2005
Release Number: 1573-016

» More Information on Indiana Severe Winter Storms and Flooding

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Six temporary Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are being opened by federal, state and county officials early next week to serve the victims of the severe winter storms and flooding that began January 1. Residents now have 12 locations to go to talk face to face with recovery specialists.

Five of the new DRCs will be opening on Monday, February 7 at 1 p.m. in locations listed below. Anyone may visit the center closest to them. You do not need a reservation or need to reside in that specific county. Regular hours for these Disaster Recovery Centers with the exception of Spencer are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday until further notice. The new locations are:

Bartholomew County
Volunteer Fire Department, Station 10
935 Repp Dr.
Columbus, IN 47202

Marion County – North
Communication & Education Center
8550 Woodfield Crossing Blvd.
Indianapolis, IN 46240

Vanderburgh County EMA
708 Stanley Ave.
Evansville, IN 47711

Vigo County
South Vigo High School
3737 S. 7th St.
Terre Haute, IN 47802

The mobile DRC will be closing in Linton at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 5 and moving to Spencer to open on Monday, February 7 at 1 p.m. The RV will be set up in the parking lot near the Spencer Public Library. This DRC will only be open Monday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The location is:

Owen County Mobile DRC
Parking Lot (near Public Library)
10 S. Montgomery St.
Spencer, IN 47460

A DRC will open in Delaware County on Tuesday at 10 a.m. and will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The location is:

Delaware County EMS Training Station #3
4501 E. Memorial Drive
Muncie, IN 47302

“Visitors to the Disaster Recovery Centers can learn what their options are for repairing or rebuilding so they don’t have to face the same problems when severe winter storms strike again,” said Ron Sherman, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) federal coordinating officer for the disaster.

U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) staff will also be available at the DRCs to assist victims with low-interest loan applications. Personnel at the centers can also provide disaster housing information, technical assistance on how to reduce future disaster damages, and referrals to other federal assistance programs.

“Information provided at these centers is not only useful to those who suffered damages from this winter’s storms, but anyone in the area can visit a center and find out what they can do to avoid future damages from severe storms and flooding,” said Phil Roberts, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) state coordinating office for the disaster.

Recovery officials recommend that residents apply for assistance before visiting a DRC or DOC. Individuals can begin the application process by going online or calling the toll-free application number, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for hearing and speech impaired. Both numbers are available from 7 am to 7 pm, seven days a week until further notice. Individuals with Internet access now have the option to register on the agency’s website at http://www.fema.gov, where valuable recovery information is also available.

After applying, disaster victims may visit the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists. To check on the status of their application, residents may call the FEMA Helpline at same numbers listed above.

The following DRCs are transitioning to become Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Outreach Centers (DOCs) and will continue to be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The outreach centers will provide SBA assistance with loan information. A FEMA representative will be available to answer questions until further notice.

The SBA Disaster Outreach Center already established in Howard County on Mulberry St. in Kokomo will remain open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and effectively manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Thursday, 03-Feb-2005 10:57:05