Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Williamsburg, Orangeburg Counties

COLUMBIA, S.C. – New disaster recovery centers are open in Livingston and Kingstree to help South Carolinians who experienced losses from the recent floods.

Representatives from the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other public and private agencies are at the centers to discuss disaster-assistance programs and help survivors find resources for recovery.

Locations and hours of the new recovery centers:

Williamsburg County

Williamsburg Recreation Center

2084 Thurgood Marshall Hwy

Kingstree

Seven day a week, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Orangeburg County

Neeses Town Hall

6357 Savannah Hwy

Livingston

Seven day a week, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

It is not necessary to visit a center to register for and receive state-federal disaster assistance. If possible, survivors should register with FEMA before visiting a recovery center. To register go online any time to DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362.  Help is available in most languages, and phone lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Disaster survivors who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 to register. Those who use 711 or VRS (Video Relay Service) or require accommodations while visiting a center may call 800-621-3362. All disaster recovery centers are accessible and equipped with tools to accommodate disaster survivors who need disability-related communication aids.

Federal and state disaster assistance for eligible individuals and families can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary residences and help with other serious disaster-related losses not covered by insurance.

Low-interest disaster recovery loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are the primary means of federal help for disaster survivors, including homeowners, renters and businesses of all sizes. Individuals and businesses should first register with FEMA. For information on SBA disaster recovery loans call 800-659-2955 (TTY 800-877-8339) or go online to SBA.gov/disaster. An application for an SBA disaster recovery loan may be completed online at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

Additional disaster recovery centers are open in Charleston, Clarendon, Darlington, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter  counties. For information on the locations of recovery centers call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 or go online to https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4241.