Lincoln, NE – The State of Nebraska and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will open a Disaster Recovery Center Tuesday, Aug. 27, in Buffalo County. Recovery specialists from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will provide information on available services, explain assistance programs and help survivors complete or check the status of their applications at the center.
Center location and hours are:
Disaster Recovery Center
Located in Hilltop Mall
5011 2nd Ave.
Kearney, NE 68847
Tuesday – Friday, Aug. 27, 28, 29, 30
(8 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
Saturday, Aug. 31
(8 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Nebraska homeowners, renters and business owners in Buffalo county included in the major disaster declaration for Individual Assistance, may apply for assistance for uninsured and underinsured damage and losses resulting from the March 9 to July 14 severe winter storm, straight-line winds and flooding.
Disaster Recovery Centers are staffed by representatives from FEMA, the SBA, and other federal and local agencies. One-on-one assistance includes:
- Help to register for FEMA’s Individual Assistance program.
- Help completing paperwork and checking the status of your application.
- Help applying for the SBA’s low-interest disaster loans for businesses, private nonprofits, homeowners and renters.
- Help understanding how to appeal FEMA eligibility decisions.
- Community Education and Outreach and Insurance Specialists will be available to answer questions on the importance of flood insurance, preparedness, home repair, making disaster plans, developing a family communication plan, and putting together supply kits.
- Accommodations to meet the needs of the entire community including people with disabilities. Centers are equipped with captioned phones, video remote interpreting and assistive listening devices.
Applicants for disaster assistance should have the following information on hand:
- Social Security number
- Address of the damaged primary residence
- Description of the damage
- Information about insurance coverage
- A current contact telephone number
- An address where they can receive mail
- Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds
Don’t wait for a DRC to open, help is just a mouse click, phone call or tap on the FEMA app away. You can register for assistance:
- Online, visit http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
- On a smartphone, download the FEMA app and click on “disaster resources,” then “apply for assistance online.”
- Call FEMA’s toll-free registration line at 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 (TTY). Telephone registration is available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week.
- Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) and speak to a FEMA specialist.
- To find the nearest DRC visit: FEMA.gov/DRC, or text DRC along with a ZIP code to 43362 or call the Disaster Assistance help line at 800-621-3362 or 800-462-7585 (TTY).
SBA disaster assistance employees are committed to helping businesses and residents rebuild as quickly as possible. SBA representatives are available to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program and help business owners and residents apply for low-interest disaster recovery loans.
Businesses and residents can visit http://www.SBA.gov/disaster, call SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. TTY users may also call 800-877-8339.
For more information on Nebraska’s disaster recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4420.