The holiday season is a time for cheer and giving to others. If you’ve been wondering what you can do, how about checking with your family, friends and neighbors who may have damage from Hurricane Matthew, and ask they if they have registered with FEMA.
The registration deadline is coming up – Monday, Jan. 9, 2017.
Some may not want to register because others have more damage. That doesn’t matter – everyone is eligible to register.
Let them know that registration is easy and the following registration options are available:
Hours of operation at the FEMA/North Carolina Emergency Management Disaster Recovery Centers will change during the Christmas holiday season. The change in hours also will affect mitigation outreach specialists providing information at Lowe’s home improvement stores in Columbus, Craven, Pasquotank and Richmond counties.
The changed hours for both the recovery centers and the mitigation outreach in Lowe’s are:
As North Carolinians repair or rebuild their homes damaged by the flooding that followed Hurricane Matthew, FEMA and home improvement stores in Columbus, Craven, Pasquotank and Richmond counties have teamed up to provide free information, tips and literature on making homes stronger and safer.
Governor Pat McCrory signed the Disaster Recovery Act of 2016 into law today, providing $201 million to help citizens and communities recover from Hurricane Matthew and wildfires. The governor was joined at the Executive Mansion by legislators, mayors, county commissioners, members of the governor's Hurricane Matthew Recovery Committee and N.C. Emergency Management Director Mike Sprayberry.
The Disaster Recovery Center in Edgecombe County will reopen to serve disaster survivors at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16. The hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The new location is:
Edgecombe County Health Department
3003 N. Main Street
Tarboro, NC 27886
Survivors can also get help by calling the FEMA Helpline 800-621-3362.
Many displaced Hurricane Matthew survivors face a challenging holiday season. Governor Pat McCrory has called a special session of the legislature to address pressing needs. But there is much that survivors and supporters can do to advance the recovery process.
North Carolina Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency suggest the following 12 Days of Hurricane Matthew Recovery Tips for people who are recovering from the October storm.
In the nine weeks since President Obama declared a major disaster for North Carolina, federal agencies have provided more than $213 million in grants, loans and insurance payments to those who had losses resulting from flooding after Hurricane Matthew.
These funds are making it possible for survivors to begin to rebuild their homes and communities as they develop a recovery plan.
FEMA has provided almost $83 million in grants to more than 27,000 eligible survivors for rental assistance and for repairs to make homes safe and habitable.
The Disaster Recovery Center in Columbus County will close Friday, Dec. 16, at 6 p.m.
The center is located at:
Employment Security Commission
913 Jefferson Street
Whiteville, NC 28472
At this time, visits to the center have decreased. Therefore, FEMA and the state will close the center and relocate resources to other centers in the affected counties.
Governor Pat McCrory has declared Dec. 11-17 as Winter Weather Preparedness Week and is urging North Carolinians to plan, prepare and be ready for potentially dangerous winter weather.