Morris County residents who sustained property damage from Hurricane Sandy should apply now for federal assistance, according to county officials.
There is a 60-day window for registering and 5,100 county residents already have applied, officials said.
Morris County’s Disaster Recovery Center is being operated by federal and state specialists at the Community Center in Morris Plains, at 51 Jim Fear Drive.
Here are details on how and when to apply.
FROM THE MORRIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES:
DECEMBER 3, 2012
SANDY-AFFECTED RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT DELAY APPLYING FOR ASSISTANCE
Residents impacted by Hurricane Sandy and who have not already applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are being urged to do so as soon as possible.
Frank Pinto, director of the Morris County Department of Human Services, said that the sooner residents seek assistance, the sooner they will have money in hand for their needs.
“The FEMA representatives who are staffing the Disaster Recovery Centers can provide technical assistance at the centers themselves or through other means,” Pinto said. “There is a 60 day deadline for registering and we want everyone who is eligible to receive assistance.”
Morris County’s Disaster Recovery Center, operated by FEMA and the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management is at the Morris Plains Community Center, 51 Jim Fear Drive in the borough.
To date, more than 5,100 people in Morris County have registered with FEMA for assistance, according to Pinto.
However, he noted there are other steps individuals must take to access additional funds.
“For example, after registering, there is a need to complete a Small Business Administration loan application,” Pinto said. “It’s not required that a person take a SBA loan, but the process is required. Once that is done, the applicant may get a loan for assistance or if qualified, they may be eligible for additional assistance, which is the ultimate goal of most applicants.”
It is important that storm-affected residents go through the process now, while FEMA “is on the ground,” Pinto said.
The Morris Plains DRC will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6; Friday, Dec. 7; and Saturday, Dec. 8.
Anyone affected by Hurricane Sandy is encouraged to apply for assistance before going to a DRC. Individuals can register for assistance and follow up on previous applications by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, or by web-enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov.
Registering by telephone or 711/VRS can be accomplished by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.
Only applying directly with FEMA will establish registration for disaster assistance.
