JACKSON, Miss. – Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) in Vicksburg and Columbus will close permanently at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 31, but survivors will still be able to get the help they need online or on the phone. The DRCs have been operated jointly by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
"FEMA and MEMA keep DRCs open for as long as needed following a presidential disaster declaration,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Joe Girot. “The number of DRC visitors has declined, and we feel that Mississippians needing assistance have taken advantage of the services offered.”
Survivors of last February’s storms and flooding still have easy access to many of the services available at the DRCs by visiting www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). The Helpline is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (ET). Multilingual operators are available.
You can use the Helpline or the website to:
- Register with FEMA. (Deadline to register is Nov. 19, 2019.)
- Provide a change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information to avoid disaster assistance processing delays.
- Receive information about FEMA home inspections.
- Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.
- Ask questions about your FEMA determination letter.
- Learn how to appeal a FEMA decision. (All applicants may appeal.)
If you want to discuss your FEMA application, you may be asked for your nine-digit FEMA registration number, social security number and zip code.
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All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).
FEMA’s mission: Helping people before, during, and after disasters.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations. For more information, applicants may visit a temporary disaster recovery center, or contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visiting SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.