WASHINGTON – A new Disaster Recovery Center will open in Lee County on Thursday, September 23, at 9 a.m., to assist individuals, households and businesses affected by the recent storms and flooding in Iowa. The center will be located at 300 Main St., Ste. 408, in Keokuk.
The Disaster Recovery Center in Wright County, located at the Clarion Police and Fire Department, 120 First Ave. S.W., will permanently close at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), Disaster Recovery Center visitors may:
• Get help completing applications for federal low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private non-profit organizations
• Inquire about the status of applications for federal assistance
• Obtain referrals to voluntary organizations that may help with immediate unmet needs
• Learn cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce the impact of future disaster losses
• Obtain information on appealing decisions regarding eligibility for federal assistance
Representatives from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration can help answer questions and provide recovery information. Additional materials about assistance programs from other federal and state agencies are available at the centers.
“In the past, these Disaster Recovery Centers have been helpful for face-to-face interactions for Iowans simply looking for information,” Senator Chuck Grassley said.
Grassley also urged Iowans who have initially been denied assistance to appeal the decision,
“Sometimes the reason for the denial is easy to fix, so why not try again?”
There are also Disaster Recovery Centers in Black Hawk, Cherokee, Delaware, Dubuque, Fayette, Marion, Polk, Story and Webster counties. Before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, registration should be completed with FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov; or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech-impaired. The numbers are available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily, until further notice.
For other Disaster Recovery Center information, Iowans should visit www.fema.gov/assistance/opendrcs.shtm.