Recovery Center Opens in Beaufort County

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Saturday, Oct. 29) – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), jointly operated by the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is opening in Beaufort County Oct. 31 to provide assistance to survivors of the storms and flooding that accompanied Hurricane Matthew.

The latest DRC is in the Burton Wells Recreation Center, 1 Middleton Recreation Drive, Beaufort, S.C. 29906.  It is open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.  It is closed Thursday through Sunday.

The DRC is staffed by state and federal disaster recovery specialists, and representatives of the U.S. Small Business Administration, various state agencies and volunteer organizations.  It is a one-stop shop for survivors seeking information on programs available to them or needing one-on-one help with disaster recovery issues.

DRCs are accessible to people with disabilities.  The centers have tools to amplify sound, magnifiers and materials in alternative formats along with video remote interpretation.  Sign language interpreters are available upon request at the center.

Survivors are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a DRC by calling 800 621-3362 (voice, 711, video services) or 800-462-7585 (TTY).  Or they can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Registering with FEMA is the first step toward qualifying for disaster assistance which may include grants to help homeowners and renters pay for temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property replacements and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Other DRCs operating in the state are:

Dorchester County

Miles Road Baptist Church (gym)
819 Miles Road
Summerville, SC 29485
8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Florence County

Ragsdale Old Warehouse

245 S. Church St.

Lake City, SC 29560

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Horry County

South Strand Recreation Center

9650 Scipio Lane

Myrtle Beach, SC 29588

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Marion County

Mullins City Hall
111 NE Front Street
Mullins, SC 29574
9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Saffold Center

6874 Highway 908

Gresham, SC 29546

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Orangeburg County

Orangeburg County Building

8423 Old State Road

Holly Hill, SC 29059

9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

YMCA
2550 St. Matthew Road
Orangeburg, SC 29118
9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

Williamsburg County

Williamsburg Recreation Center
2084 Thurgood Marshall Highway
Kingstree, SC 29556
9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday – Friday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Closed Sunday

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status, or retaliation. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, call 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585(TTY/TDD).

You can receive weather alerts, safety tips and learn about disaster resources by downloading the free FEMA App, available for Apple, Android, and Blackberry mobile devices. Visit fema.gov/mobile-app  for more information.

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 us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/femaregion4 and the FEMA Blog at http://blog.fema.gov.

The SBA is the federal government’s primary source of money for the long-term rebuilding of disaster-damaged private property. SBA helps businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners and renters fund repairs or rebuilding efforts and cover 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. For more information, applicants may contact SBA’s Disaster Assistance Customer Service Center by calling 800-659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s website at www.sba.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.