Disaster Recovery Center Opens In Petal

PEARL, Miss. – A new Disaster Recovery Center is open in Petal, giving disaster survivors in Forrest, Lamar, Marion and Wayne counties a third location for meeting face-to-face with recovery specialists. The center is located at:

Petal Civic Center (Forrest County)

714 South Main St.

Petal, MS 39465

Disaster survivors can also visit Disaster Recovery Centers in two other locations:

Ben McNair Recreation Center (Forrest County)
300 North 12^th Ave.
Hattiesburg, MS 39401

Lamar Park (Lamar County)

226 Pinewood Drive

Hattiesburg, MS 39402

All three centers are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Disaster Recovery Centers are staffed with recovery professionals from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration who can provide information and answer questions about disaster-related assistance.

In addition to state and federal disaster assistance experts, residents can meet with representatives from voluntary and faith-based groups to help with any additional unmet needs in the Disaster Recovery Centers.

The first step to receiving federal disaster aid is to register with FEMA. Registration is simple and can be completed several ways:

• Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov any time day or night.
• By phone or video relay at 800-621-FEMA (3362) daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. Help is available in many languages.
• By TTY at 800-462-7585.
• C-Spire Wireless customers can register by calling #362.
• By web-enabled mobile devices at m.fema.gov. Select “Disaster Survivor” then “Apply Online for FEMA Assistance.”

Those 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, call 800-621-3362.

Disaster assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Survivors are encouraged to register before visiting a center if possible. Specialists at the center can explain the disaster assistance process, describe the types of help available, and answer survivors’ questions.

The presidential disaster declaration makes funds available to individuals and families in Forrest, Lamar, Marion and Wayne counties who were affected by the Feb. 10 storms and tornadoes. Funds are also available to the state of Mississippi to supplement state, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the affected areas.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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