TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Saturday, Sept. 16, in St. Johns County to help Florida storm survivors. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday until further notice.
The center is at the following address:
UF Wind Mitigation “Hurricane House”3111 Agricultural Center DriveSt. Augustine, FL 32092
As more centers open, survivors may locate one near them at fema.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. That information is also available on the FEMA mobile app. Survivors may register at any open DRC, even out of state.
To speed recovery, survivors are urged to register before visiting a DRC. To register, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline 800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. EST seven days a week until further notice.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), volunteer groups and other agencies are at the centers to answer questions about disaster assistance and low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, renters and businesses. They can also help survivors apply for federal disaster assistance.
Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews are canvassing many affected areas and are able to register people for FEMA assistance if needed. When residents require further assistance, the teams may refer them to a disaster recovery center.
It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center.
Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or Video Relay Service or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids. Each disaster recovery center has assistive technologies for people with disabilities.
Low-interest disaster loans from the SBA are available for businesses of all sizes, nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. Disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or grants.
For more information, applicants may contact the SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing to DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by visiting the SBA’s website at sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.
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FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.
FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.