Disaster Recovery Center Opens in Debby's Wake

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will open a temporary Disaster Recovery Center Thursday at Venice City Hall to help those whose homes or businesses were impacted by Tropical Storm Debby

The center is open at Venice City Hall, 401 West Venice Ave., Venice, Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sunday noon - 6 p.m. No appointment is necessary

As an alternative, you can also visit the , 1 Haben Blvd., Palmetto. That center is set to close Saturday.

In Venice, representatives from FEMA, the Small Business Administration, the American Red Cross, Senior Choices of Southwest Florida, the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the Suncoast Workforce Board will be at the center to explain disaster assistance programs and help survivors apply for aid.

Anyone who sustained damage in any of the Florida counties designated for federal individual disaster assistance can visit any disaster recovery center. But you don't have to go in person to ask for help. 

People with storm or flooding losses should register with FEMA. There are three ways to apply:

• By calling FEMA at 1-800-621-3362, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, or on a TTY line at 1-800-462-7585.
• Online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
• By tablet or smartphone using the FEMA app or m.fema.gov.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property loss and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.
 
Low-interest disaster loans from the Small Business Administration are also available to help with residential and business losses not covered by insurance. After registering with FEMA, apply online at SBA’s secure website https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela; or obtain information on SBA disaster loan applications by calling 800-659-2955 or 800-877-8339 for the deaf or hard of hearing or online at www.sba.gov.
 
For the latest Tropical Storm Debby Recovery information, follow @FLSERT on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/floridasert. To get a disaster preparedness plan, go to the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s website at www.FloridaDisaster.org.