FEMA mobile recovery center to open in Ashburn

Nov. 02--ASHBURN -- A Federal Emergency Management Agency mobile disaster recovery center will be at the Turner County Civic Center in Ashburn, 354 Lamar St., opening Nov. 2, weather permitting, and closing on Nov. 7.

It will be open 8 a.m.--7 p.m., except for Sunday, Nov. 4 when it will be open 1-7 p.m.

The center can help homeowners register and apply for FEMA assistance for home damage from Hurricane Michael.

"It may return," said Sharon Karr, media relations specialist with FEMA. "It's not set in stone. The mobile ones are on a rotating basis."

Tift and Turner counties were recently designated for individual assistance.

Karr said she expects a mobile center to open in Tift County, but doesn't have a definite date.

A center also opened at the Worth County Community Center in Sylvester at 1301 N. Monroe St.

In addition to the centers, disaster survivor assistance teams are going door-to-door in the designated counties.

"They've already visited more than 8,000 homes," said Karr.

Each member of the assistance teams will have a photo ID badge and can register people "on the spot," Karr said.

She noted that team members will ask for a social security number to register homeowners.

After registration, people will be contacted by phone by a FEMA inspector to make an inspection appointment.

Generally, there's a 7-10 day period between registration and inspection, with a 7-10 day period after inspection before people will receive a letter from FEMA letting them know about their application.

Karr notes there every case is different, pointing to families that need temporary housing as a case that could go through quickly.

FEMA cannot duplicate benefits from another agency or source of funding.

"With this hurricane...people should be calling their homeowners insurance as well," said Karr.

Homeowners can also contact FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 or through the FEMA website, www.disasterassistance.gov.

The FEMA app is also available for Apple and Android devices.

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