Kanawha and Nicholas counties Disaster Recovery Centers to close; help is still available

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) at 3300 Pennsylvania Avenue in Charleston (Kanawha County), and 6 White Street in Richwood (Nicholas County) will close at 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016.

As a survivor of the June storms and floods, you can still get the help you need with just a phone call. The deadline to register for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016.

Many of the services available at the DRCs are also available on the helpline. The FEMA helpline operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT, seven days a week, until further notice. By calling 800-621-3362 (voice, 711 or video relay services) or 800-462-7585 for TTY users, you can use the helpline to:

• Register with FEMA.

• Provide a change of address, telephone and bank account numbers and insurance information.

• Receive information about FEMA home inspections.

• Get other questions answered about federal disaster assistance.

• Ask questions about letters you receive from FEMA.

• Learn how to appeal a FEMA decision. All applicants may appeal.

You can also register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or find an open DRC at www.fema.gov/drc. Just be sure to do it before Sept. 7.

If you want to discuss your application, you should have your nine-digit FEMA registration number and zip code.

For more information about SBA loans, call SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visit http://www.sba.gov/disaster.  TTY users may call 800-877-8339. Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

SBA low-interest disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters for their recovery needs. The deadline to apply for an SBA loan is Wednesday, Sept. 7.

You can still visit the other DRCs. Representatives from FEMA, various state agencies and the SBA are at the centers to answer your disaster assistance or low-interest disaster loan questions:

Greenbrier County               1233 Kanawha Ave., Rainelle, WV 25962

Kanawha County                  Office trailer in parking lot across from Dollar General Store,  

                                               120 Maywood Ave. W., Clendenin, WV 25045

Additional information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery can be found by visiting fema.gov/disaster/4273, twitter.com/femaregion3, twitter.com/FEMA and fema.gov/blog.