TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency and home improvement stores are teaming up to provide information and advice on cleaning up and rebuilding homes after Tropical Storm Debby.

FEMA mitigation specialists – who can explain disaster-resistant ways to repair and rebuild –  will be in Highlands, Hillsborough and Polk counties beginning Wednesday, July 25.

Mitigation specialists offer suggestions on cleaning mold and mildew. They also provide information on flood insurance.

The specialists will be available for questions at the Disability Expo and Public Forum on Wednesday, July 25, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is located at the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in Tampa.

They will be in Highlands County from July 25 to July 30 at the Home Depot in Sebring at 2303 U.S. 27 N. The outreach hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The outreach continues Aug. 1 to Aug. 6 in Polk County at the Lowe’s in Bartow at 425 E. Van Fleet Drive. The hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Monday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information on Florida’s disaster recovery, visit www.fema.gov or http://www.floridadisaster.org. On Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/FloridaSERT. To receive Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/FLSERT or www.twitter.com/femaregion4.

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.

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-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

FEMA’s temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.

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