FEMA opens disaster recovery center in Troup County

TROUP COUNTY, Ga. (WTVM) - A FEMA disaster recovery center is open in Troup County to provide one-on-one assistance. This will help people directly affected by the January 12 severe storms, straight line winds and tornadoes.

Recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will provide information on available services, explain assistance programs and help survivors complete or check the status of their applications.

“The center will be open as long as we see need a need, so, as long as we’re needed we will be here,” says FEMA media specialist Maria Padron.

The recovery center is open seven days a week, from 8a.m. to 6p.m.

Meriwether county resident, Charlie Parks, was in Troup County Sunday in need of help after experiencing severe damage to his home in Greenville, Georgia January 12.

“We’re just taking it one day at a time, because we have so much, so much debris. I mean there’s stuff everywhere and thanks by the grace of god, no one was hurt,” says Parks. “So far, FEMA’s helping us out very well, one day at a time. We’re just picking up the pieces.”

FEMA is in Troup county and will be helping residents until further notice...the disaster recovery center at the William J. Griggs Community center in LaGrange opened Sunday. The exact location is 716 Glenn Roberson Drive.

Padron says the agency is on the grounds to give the well-needed face to face help for survivors who need to apply for disaster assistance.

“The main thing is they need to live in the seven declared counties and they have to have losses or damages,” says Padron.

You can apply for disaster aid to receive grant relief funds in person at the center, online at disasterassistance.gov, or over the phone when you call (800)-621-3362.

Before you visit the center for help, HERE is what you need to have ready:

• list of all damages
• your social security number
• insurance policy number information--because FEMA cannot pay for what is already covered by insurance
• your bank routing and account number for direct deposit of the aid (optional)
• the address of the property where the damage happened
• the total annual household income at the time of the storm.

The US Small Business Administration is also at the center and you may be referred to their assistance for a home loan. Also providing services, the Troup County Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) helping with food stamps.

“If you lost food stamp money, because you were out of electricity for hours, there’s an 8-41 form you can pick up here and turn it into the office and they will reimburse you for your losses,” says Sandra Berry, Troup County DFACS.

If you get a denial letter from FEMA, Padron says that is not the last word.

“That means maybe a signature is missing, we’re waiting for the claim of the insurance, or we’re missing a paper,” says Padron.

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