Disaster Recovery Center Opens in LaSalle County

CHICAGO, IL – A federal/state Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open at 9 a.m. Friday, May 17, in Marseilles for residents of LaSalle County to meet face-to-face with disaster recovery specialists, officials said today.

The DRC, operated jointly by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.  The location is:

LaSalle County

Marseilles Fire Department

205 Lincoln Street

Marseilles, IL 61341

Hours: 9 a.m. – 7 p.m., 7 days a week

Disaster recovery officials work closely with community leaders to find DRC locations that provide safe and easy access for all survivors.  More centers will open as sites are identified and approved.

DRC services include help with applying for disaster assistance and finding out about other disaster programs available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), state and local agencies, and voluntary organizations. Residents must apply with FEMA even if they already provided damage information to local officials, other agencies or organizations.

SBA low-interest disaster loans may be available for homeowners, renters, businesses and private non-profit organizations of all sizes to repair or replace real estate, contents and/or personal property damaged in the severe storms and flooding. SBA customer service representatives will be present to answer questions and accept completed loan applications. Information and assistance from SBA is also available at 800-659-2955, (TTY) 800-877-8339 or online at sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

Individuals can register online at disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov.  Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. If you use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS), call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate from 7 a.m.to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week until further notice.

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.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, facebook.com/fema, and youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

Media Contact: 609-508-2238