FEMA continues efforts in Dougherty County

ALBANY — With Albany and Dougherty County formally in a state of federal emergency, Federal Emergency Management Agency staff are currently in the area helping residents impacted by the Jan. 2 and Jan. 22 storms that devastated the community sign up for emergency relief.

Beginning today, citizens whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and straight-line winds in January can visit the new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center that is opening at the former Albany Police Station at 1721 E. Oglethorpe Blvd. in downtown Albany.

The disaster recovery center will be open Mondays through Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The center will be staffed by representatives from FEMA, Georgia Emergency Management, Homeland Security and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Survivors of the storms who visit the center will be able to get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates about filed applications.

FEMA officials and volunteers have asked that people who come to the disaster recovery center bring with them a social security number (one per household), address of the damaged home or apartment, description of the damage, information about insurance coverage, telephone number, mailing address, and bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds.

Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible to individuals with disabilities. They have assistive technology equipment that allows disaster survivors to use amplified telephones, phones that display text, amplified listening devices for people with hearing loss, and magnifiers for people with vision loss. Video Remote Interpreting is available, and in-person sign language is available by request. The centers also have accessible parking, ramps and restrooms.

Disaster survivors who choose not to come to the disaster center may also register with FEMA the following ways:

• Online at DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish);

• Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish);

• Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Persons who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free numbers are open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Help is available in most languages, and information on the registration process is available in ASL at http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/111546.

FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program is designed to help survivors with immediate essential needs and to help displaced survivors find a safe, sanitary place to live temporarily until they can return home. Many survivors may have additional needs beyond what can be provided by FEMA. The agency works closely with state, federal, faith-based and voluntary agencies to help match survivors who have remaining needs with other sources of assistance.

Already FEMA teams have met with citizens in the Albany-Dougherty County area through its remote centers that were set up at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and then at the Albany Mall. Volunteers have reported that traffic has been steady at both sites.

With the Disaster Recovery Center now opening, the expectation is that more area residents will seek assistance, FEMA officials said.