By Frank Donnelly/Staten Island Advance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established three disaster recovery centers on Staten Island where residents can file claims for housing assistance, repairs and temporary shelter.
The sites are at Miller Field, New Dorp, near New Dorp High School; the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin at Mount Loretto in Pleasant Plains, and Father Capodanno Boulevard and Hunter Avenue, Midland Beach.
They are open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will remain operational for as long as needed, said John Knowles, a FEMA spokesman.
The Capodanno Boulevard spot is the latest addition to the list of FEMA spots.
Residents who suffered storm damage can apply at the center for a variety of FEMA grants and loans, said Knowles. Aid is available for housing repair and replacement, temporary housing, and transitional shelter at hotels and other locations for those whose homes are too damaged to return to.
U.S. Small Business Administration representatives are also offering low-cost loan applications to impacted Island homeowners and businesses at the centers, Knowles said.
Applications for FEMA aid can also be made without venturing to a center, by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or logging on to disasterassistance.gov.
Knowles said applying for aid and setting up an appointment for a FEMA inspector to assess damages is the first and most important step in the process. “If they were impacted in any way, we urge them to come” and file a claim, said Knowles. He said homeowners’ and renters’ policies may not cover all damages, so those who suffered losses should apply to FEMA regardless if they have insurance. Knowles said more than 120 FEMA community relations specialists are also going door-to-door in storm-impacted areas to get information to Islanders and help them file claims.
To find a list of available shelters, text “shelter” plus your zip code to 4FEMA (43362), said Knowles.
— Courtesy of SILive.com
