SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Thousand Oaks Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Ventura County will close permanently at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 17.
The DRC, located at 173 Moorpark Rd., Suite A, Thousand Oaks, is open today, Saturday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The center will be closed Sunday, Dec. 16.
DRCs are jointly operated by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). DRCs offer information concerning resources available to homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the wildfires.
Two other DRCs remain open to serve survivors of the Woolsey and Hill Fires:
| Los Angeles County Malibu Courthouse 23525 Civic Center Way Malibu, CA 90265 Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Closed Sundays | Los Angeles County Conrad N. Hilton Foundation 30440 Agoura Rd. Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Closed Sundays |
Representatives of FEMA’s Individual Assistance and Mitigation teams, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and federal agencies, as well as nongovernmental service organizations, will continue to staff the DRCs in Los Angeles County.
DRCs are accessible for individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs. They have on-site communication accessibility tools, including amplified listening devices, Video Relay Interpreting and CapTel phones. ASL interpreters are available upon request.
Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damages to their homes, cars and businesses before they apply for FEMA assistance. They can register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). Multi-lingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST
Many of the services available at the DRCs are also available on the FEMA Helpline, including:
- Registering with FEMA to apply for disaster assistance;
- Providing a change of address, phone number, bank account and insurance information;
- Receiving information about FEMA home inspections;
- Getting other questions answered about federal disaster assistance;
- Asking questions about a letter from FEMA, and
- Learning how to appeal a FEMA decision.
Californians impacted by the wildfires that started on Nov. 8 in Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties can find their nearest DRC at https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator or by texting 43362 with the message DRC and their ZIP Code. Standard message and data rates apply.
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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 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).
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 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 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.