Fairfield Disaster Recovery Center to Transition to SBA Loan Outreach Center

WINDSOR, Conn. — The FEMA-state Disaster Recovery Center in Fairfield closes Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., but FEMA will still be available to help residents recover from Sandy.

The FEMA helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-621-3362, to register for assistance, ask questions about an application or update contact information so FEMA knows how to reach you. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

When FEMA’s Fairfield center closes, the U.S. Small Business Administration will open a Disaster Loan Outreach Center in the same location at the Senior Center, 100 Mona Terrace, Fairfield, CT 06824, on Thursday, Dec. 20.

 Fairfield Disaster Loan Outreach Center hours of operation will be:

 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday (starting Dec. 20)

Closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

Registering for disaster assistance with other agencies or organizations does not register survivors for FEMA disaster assistance. Having FEMA flood insurance does not register policyholders for disaster assistance; flood insurance claims are handled separately.

If an applicant receives an application for a low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration, it is important this application be completed and returned.  No survivor is required to take out an SBA loan, but completion of the SBA application may make the applicant eligible for further FEMA assistance.

Survivors can register online anytime day or night at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or with a smartphone or other Web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. Survivors can also register anytime by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362. The TTY number is 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Wait for the English message to finish to reach multilingual operators.

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 800-621-3362. For TTY, call 800-462-7585.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and private, nonprofit organizations fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and covers the cost of replacing lost or disaster-damaged personal property. These disaster loans cover losses not fully compensated by insurance or other recoveries and do not duplicate benefits of other agencies or organizations.

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.