FEMA disaster recovery center at Cullman City Hall changing hours

May 23--The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster recovery center at Cullman City Hall is changing operating hours. Area residents who sustained losses in the March 19 hail storm can now speak to a disaster recovery specialist between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

The Cullman center will be closed Monday, May 28 for the Memorial Day Federal Holiday. However, the FEMA Helpline will be operating on the holiday, so residents can call 800-621-3362 or go online to disasterassistance.gov for assistance.

The recovery center is located in the old Fire Department administrative offices, which can be accessed from the building's south-facing entrance across from the Cullman County Public Library.

"Whether you're insured or not, it's very important that people go ahead and register," said Cullman County EMA director Phyllis Little. "A lot of people have not received anything from their insurance companies yet, and what we're concerned about is that they may settle with their insurance company and then discover after the fact that there was a lot of stuff that was not covered.

Little also encouraged applicant's who've been denied assistance not to give up on the process. Denials of a first application are routine, and don't necessarily mean an applicant has run out of options.

Assistance is available not only for individuals, but for business applicants as well. People in both groups may qualify for low-interest loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA), or even outright awards.

"Some people just have automobile losses: their vehicles were damaged or destroyed," she said. "Some people lost time from work and can be compensated because their vehicle was damaged and wouldn't get them there after the storm. Business owners can apply for relief for lost inventory, damaged property, and a lot of other losses."

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