County of Monmouth

For Immediate Release:

February 8, 2013

 

FEMA recovery center update

Hours change at three sites, Long Branch center closes

 

FREEHOLD, NJ – The FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Monmouth County will now be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.

 

The locations are:

  • Belmar Municipal Building, 601 Main St., Belmar, NJ 07719
  • Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center,945 Hwy 36, Leonardo, NJ 07737 (Atlantic Highlands/ Middletown border)
  • Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., Union Beach, NJ 07735

The DRC in Long Branch at the Long Branch Fire Station #4, 109-205 Union Avenue has closed. The facility has been open since Nov. 19, 2012 and had more than 2,500 visitors.

 

Before going to a DRC, it is helpful to register with FEMA. Apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is March 1, 2013.

 

“Do it now. Get into the FEMA system,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden, who oversees the county’s OEM. “I urge affected residents to go online or make that call; the sooner they register for assistance, the sooner assistance may become available.”

 

Registering with FEMA is required for federal aid, even if the person has registered with another disaster relief organization such as the American Red Cross, local officials or churches.

 

FEMA program specialists are available to provide registration and other information, and to answer questions at the centers. These include mitigation specialists who can provide guidance on cost-effective rebuilding and repair techniques to reduce property damage in future disasters.

 

Each Disaster Recovery Center is staffed with FEMA, SBA and state agency disaster recovery specialists who are ready to help survivors through the recovery process.

 

An applicant may go to any DRC, even if it is located in another state. Once an application has been made, a FEMA registration number is given to the file. It can be accessed nationally.

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