FEMA recovery centers reopen after Beryl

ATHENS, Texas ( KETK ) — FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers reopened across East Texas after closing down for three days due to Beryl.

“This is individual assistance so if you had any damage to your property, business anything like that even if you don’t think you qualify it can’t hurt to go and ask,” Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore said.

Smith, Van Zandt and Henderson all have centers opened to help residents operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

“This is their one-stop shop, to talk with a FEMA representative face-to-face. In addition, we do also have the Small Business Administration for anyone who wants to visit with them as well,” said Nikki Gaskins Campbell, FEMA media Relations Specialist.

FEMA assists people to get referrals, the insurance process and other needs.

“We are trying to stress to people that if they have not reached out to us, to do so, you could be leaving money on the table,” Gaskins said.

The centers are helping those affected by storms that happened between April 26 and June 5.

“There was about three weeks there when it was just one right after the other so the majority of the people that is, what it stems from,” said Moore.

Those dealing with destruction from the spring storms should know the deadline for applying for assistance is now Aug. 15.

“So, homeowners and renters in Anderson, Nacogdoches, Rusk, Panola and Sabine Counties are now eligible for disaster assistance. To date we have helped more than 74,000 households right here in Texas with almost $168 million in assistance,” Gaskins said.

Gaskins encouraged anyone who is looking for financial support to reach out to FEMA as soon as possible.

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