Second Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Cook County

CHICAGO – A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 22, in Des Plaines for residents of Cook 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 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), will operate from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.  The location is:

Cook County

Des Plaines

1486 Miner St (next door to the Des Plaines Theatre)

Des Plaines, IL 60616

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.

It is not necessary to visit a DRC to register with FEMA. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 1-800-621-3362.

DRCs offer an additional service for those who may have questions or need additional help in applying for disaster aid. Information about other disaster programs is also available from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), state and local agencies, and voluntary organizations. Residents should 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 assist survivors with their loan applications. Information and assistance from SBA is also available at 1-800-659-2955, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339 or online at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

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, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.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: 571-408-1835