STUART, Fla. — FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are now open in Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties to provide one-on-one help to Floridians impacted by Hurricane Milton.
WPTV Reporter Cassandra Garcia went to Martin County's FEMA center Saturday to talk to those who want to know their next steps following the devastation.
“I’m here today to see what’s going on with FEMA, see if I can file a claim for the tornadoes that hit our area,” Mariner Sands resident, Elena McLaughlin, said.
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“I came to see what was available for help,” Hobe Sound resident, Gregory Hoffman, said.
People like McLaughlin and Hoffman are hoping that FEMA will help them cover their losses.
McLaughlin said her father's house was hit by one of the many tornados that ripped through the area two weeks ago, and that his house is structurally damaged to the point where he can't go back to live there.
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Hoffman's house sustained damage to the roof, garage door, windows and screens.
FEMA representatives were on location answering questions, guiding people through the registration process, and assisting with filing appeals.
Martin County Emergency Management says people should keep in mind that FEMA relief will only go so far.
“FEMA is not here to make you whole again," Martin County Emergency Management deputy director, Amy Heimberger Lopez, said. "They're here to fill those gaps where the insurance doesn’t provide it."
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Residents shouldn’t be discouraged if their application is denied.
“Just because they say no the first time doesn’t mean there isn’t a pathway for appeals,” Heimberger Lopez said.
In the meantime, residents are gearing up for the long road to recovery, knowing the claim process will take time.
“Grateful that nobody was killed in our area,” McLaughlin said. “I think we all have the patience to get through it and make our neighborhoods better than they were before.”
See below where a FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers will be open near you:
Indian River County: Intergenerational Recreation Center, 1590 9th SW, Vero Beach
8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday-Sunday
Martin County: Martin County Fairgrounds, Buildings F&G, 2616 SE Dixie Highway, Stuart
7 a.m. - 7p p.m. Monday-Sunday
St. Lucie County: Havert L. Fenn Center, 2000 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce
Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
