ake County DRC Moves Location In Same Mall Area

Release Date: October 13, 2004 Release Number: 1539-194

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ORLANDO, Fla. -- State and federal officials announce that a recently opened Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Tavares will move to a new location in the same strip mall on Thursday, October 14. There are 31 DRCs serving areas struck by Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne, and another 11 DRCs in the Florida Panhandle to assist residents affected by Hurricane Ivan.

Lake County

From:
IGA Building DRC
4215 South Highway 561
Tavares, Fla. 32778

To:
Southridge Shoppes DRC
4113 South Highway 561
Tavares, Fla 32778

Victims of the hurricanes are urged to register for assistance first by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The TTY number is 1﷓800﷓462﷓7585 for those who are speech or hearing-impaired. After applying, those who have questions may visit a center to meet face-to-face with recovery specialists.

All DRCs are open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. [Lists of DRCs now operating are on pages two and three.] An applicant may visit any one of 42 DRCs statewide. Example: if an applicant from Charlotte County goes to Duval County, he or she can be assisted at the Gateway MallDRC.

Representatives of state, federal, and voluntary agencies, as well as loan officers from the U.S. Small Business Administration, will be on hand to answer questions and provide recovery information.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Helpline is experiencing a record number of calls. Because of this high volume, residents with only minimal losses, owners of commercial properties, and those who are able to start the recovery process are now urged to wait a few days before calling the Helpline. The Helpline is the option on the FEMA 800 number for people who have already registered to find the status of their application and get answers to various questions.

The State Emergency Response Team is a collaboration of Florida’s state agencies led by the state coordinating officer. SERT’s mission is to ensure that Florida is prepared to respond to emergencies, recover from them, and mitigate their impact. For the latest information on the hurricane relief effort, visit http://www.floridadisaster.org.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.