Disaster Recovery Center to be established in Jefferson County

Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at 11:46 AM

By Troy Morgan, Jefferson Co. Emergency Management

Due to historic flooding Feb. 14-March 4, 2018

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on Monday initiated disaster recovery operations following the declaration by President Donald Trump that Indiana is now eligible for federal assistance due to historic flooding Feb. 14-March 4, 2018.

A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will be established in Jefferson County in the coming days and/or weeks. The intent for Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) is to provide a one stop shop where survivors can go to receive face to face assistance with navigating their road to recovery. Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) data along with registration data for affected areas will identify how best to serve those survivors, either by; fixed DRC sites, mobile or traveling DRCs, or by Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams (DSAT) for isolated/remote pockets of survivors.

Jefferson County residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov/ or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (EDT) seven days a week until further notice.

FEMA employees will be assigned to Indiana in the coming days, allowing local, state and federal officials to work closely together. These resources will help to identify individuals and government agencies that fall under the declaration parameters for assistance. The Small Business Association (SBA) also has dispatched a team to Indiana to help business owners recover.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Residents and business owners are encouraged to use caution when being approached by contracting companies or individuals and should do their due diligence in vetting the contractor before hiring them. If you are not familiar with them personally contact your local building commission office and ask if they are registered in your area.