SELINSGROVE — Two weeks after a flood devastated parts of the Valley, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency have opened a Disaster Recovery Center in the borough.
The center at the former CareerLink, 713 Bridge St., began operations Thursday to help residents and business owners recover from their losses. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
Liz Roll, a spokeswoman for FEMA, said the center will help residents from anywhere in the region.
“We’re here at a central location where people can come to talk to FEMA representatives about their situation,” she said. “If they’ve already filled out documents, we can check on their application and see what stage it’s in. Representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration will also be available here to answer questions about low-interest-rate loans. We’ll also have counseling services here.”
As of early Thursday afternoon, seven families had visited the center.
Officials at FEMA have not yet broken down by county how many families have asked for assistance at its centers. Statewide, 21,122 families have visited Disaster Recovery Centers, as of Wednesday night.
“I think right now our opening a center here is not well known, which accounts for the light first-day turnout,” Roll said.
She added that FEMA is assessing the needs of other communities in Pennsylvania, and may open up to 20 Disaster Recovery Centers, as needed.
Roll said that families in need of assistance “don’t need to write anything down or bring photos of their washed-away residences. Pictures are helpful, but not necessary. We have inspectors that will take the application, look at the location and then visit the site.”
Officials say the center will be open as long as it is needed.
Disaster officials recommend that you register before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center so if you have any questions about the application process they can be answered face-to-face.
To register for assistance, call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 1-800-462-7585 or register at DisasterAssistance.gov; the screens will prompt you through the registration process. You can also apply by web-enabled device at m.fema.gov. For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service, call 1-800 621-3362.
News
Related Photos
-
Reba Heintzelman, of Freeburg, and Richard Wiles, of Shamokin Dam, volunteers from the Seals Den, organize children's clothes at the American Rescue Workers' donation center at 713 Bridge St. in Selinsgrove. The center, open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., is full of clothes, cleaning supplies and some food for anyone who has been affected by the flooding. Donations can be dropped off any time at the center. Liz Rohde/The Daily Item
Discussion
FEMA center opens
Valley residents can go to former CareerLink
- News
-
-
Police are on alert
St. Patrick’s Day is Sunday, Bucknell Bison are in March Madness ... it’s likely there’ll be a lot of parties this weekend. Union County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Hahn, DUI enforcement coordinator chief, urges motorists to be safe and don’t drive after drinking.
-
Maryland lawmakers vote to repeal death penalty
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Maryland lawmakers approved a measure abolishing the death penalty on Friday, and the bill is expected to be signed by the Democratic governor who has long pushed for banning capital punishment in the state.
-
President Obama wants research to wean vehicles off oil
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is pushing Congress to authorize $200 million a year for research into clean energy technologies that can wean automobiles off oil.
-
Kutztown University boosts security after recent assaults
KUTZTOWN — Kutztown University officials are beefing up security after three assaults were reported in less than a week.
-
TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Route 15 southbound in Lewisburg
LEWISBURG - Motorists traveling on Route 15 southbound in Lewisburg are advised to be alert for a lane closure between William Penn Drive and the entrance to Bucknell University.
-
Two homeless following second Penn Street fire in Sunbury
SUNBURY — A city house next to one in which a 53-year-old man was killed in a Tuesday night fire was destroyed by a blaze early Thursday.
-
Sunbury police seek arrests in ‘bully club’
SUNBURY — At least two student assaults, both of which were captured on video and uploaded to the Internet, involving Shikellamy students have led city police to pursue arrests in what is being considered the district’s “bully club.”
-
Mayor to Bison: Win NCAA game, get a parade
LEWISBURG — Bison Fever, with symptoms that range from euphoria for Bucknell University men’s basketball fans to acute pain for Lafayette supporters, is epidemic.
-
State Board of Ed vote puts Common Core Standards in place for schools
HARRISBURG – The State Board of Education today voted to adopt final-form regulations to amend the Pennsylvania Education Code, putting into place the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards that requires students to demonstrate proficiency on a Keystone Exam or comparable exam in order to graduate high school.
-
Utility pole topples onto unoccupied vehicles in Sunbury
SUNBURY - Strong winds today may have played a role, but the rotted condition of the base of a wooden street light on Woodlawn Avenue didn’t help.
-
Broken gas line sparks second fire on Penn Street in Sunbury
SUNBURY — A 53-year-old city man who used a wheelchair became the first Sunbury resident to die in a house fire since 2008 when an electrical fire tore through his home Tuesday night. Sunbury firefighters returned to the scene early this morning when the remnants of the home rekindled.
-
New poll finds attitude shift among working moms
WASHINGTON — Working mothers increasingly want full-time jobs, and tough economic times might be a big reason, according to a national survey.
- More News Headlines
-
Police are on alert
