PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The federal government's Hurricane Ian Disaster Recovery Center in Palm Beach County will close permanently Thursday.
The center at Hagen Ranch Road Library in Delray Beach will be closed for the holiday through Tuesday, will reopen Wednesday and close Thursday at 4 p.m. for assistance, including with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The library will remain open.
One day before Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida, west Delray was hit on Sept. 27 with an EF-2 tornado, which has winds between 113-157 mph. The tornado hit the Kings Point community, blowing off the roof of a two-story building complex and about 25% of an adjacent larger two-story building.
"FEMA’s current assessments have proven the most effective way to continue with disaster outreach and assistance in this area which includes; getting help applying for federal assistance and disaster loans, updating applications or learning more about other resources," La-Tanga Hopes, media special with FEMA, wrote in an email to WPTV.
After the center closes, survivors affected by Ian in late September can still register for assistance, get updates about applications, learn about the appeals process or check the status of their application in the following ways:
▪ Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
▪ Call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. Help is available in most languages. The line is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET.
▪ At one of FEMA’s other disaster recovery center locations.
The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Jan. 12.
Applications submitted for Hurricane Ian will not work for Hurricane Nicole. A separate application must be submitted to become eligible for Nicole disaster assistance for individuals and households program.
Disaster Recovery Centers provide disaster survivors with information from Florida state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance and disaster loans.
