FEMA.....................Disaster recovery assistance

Assisting survivors through our Disaster Recovery Centers & Community Relations Specialists

Since Hurricane Sandy made landfall, FEMA has been working hard to make sure disaster survivors receive the information and help they need to apply for disaster assistance with us and our partners, as well as other organizations that provide assistance.

One of the ways we’re reaching out to survivors is through our Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs). At these centers, disaster survivors can meet one-on-one with officials from voluntary and non-profit agencies, local communities, and state and federal agencies such as FEMA and the Small Business Administration. Personnel staffing the DRCs are there to answer questions from survivors about the types of assistance available, how to apply for assistance and details about how exactly the recovery process works. It is important to note that survivors do not need to visit DRCs to apply for assistance. The centers are simply another resource that FEMA is using to get everyone the help they need.

As of today, 30 Disaster Recovery Centers are open in New York, 23 in New Jersey and seven in Connecticut and more continue to open. FEMA is working closely with state and local officials in the hardest hit areas to identify future DRC sites that are accessible to those who need help and are large enough to handle the full suite of services.

In addition to our Recovery Centers, we are also out in the communities working to assist survivors through our Community Relations (CR) specialists who are going door-to-door in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut to help explain the types of assistance that are available through the federal government and to help residents register. Having these teams on the ground allow us to reach survivors in their homes and communities as quickly and effectively as possible. The Community Relations teams also help to dispel rumors in the community, identify if survivors need translated information, and coordinate and assist those with functional or access needs.

As many people across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic continue to recover from Hurricane Sandy, members of the entire emergency management team, including the federal, state, tribal, and local governments, the faith based and non-profit communities, and the public, are working together to support those across the impacted area. If you need help applying for assistance, please visit a DRC or speak to a Community Relations specialist.

There are four ways you can find a disaster recovery center location,

Search on your computer
Search on your mobile phone at m.fema.gov
Text DRC and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) For example, if you lived in Atlantic City, NJ you would text: DRC 08401 (standard data rates apply)
Use the FEMA smartphone app and locate one on the map