FInal day for submitting FEMA applications is here
Feb. 7—PRINCETON — Today is the final day for Mercer County residents impacted by Tropical Storm Helene to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.
Located in the Lifeline Princeton Church of God at 250 Oakvale Road near Princeton, the disaster recovery center will be open until 5 p.m. today, according to West Virginia FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Georgeta Dragoiu.
People who cannot come to the disaster recovery center can still apply for FEMA assistance until midnight today, Dragoiu said. FEMA can be reached by calling 800-621-3362. Residents can also apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA app to their smartphone or tablet.
The disaster recovery center will be open until Feb. 14 to provide service for disaster applicants. Its hours of operation will be Monday, Feb. 10 to Thursday, Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 14 from 9 a.m. to noon. It will be closed Saturday and Sunday.
Homeowners, renters and business owners impacted by Tropical Storm Helene can still apply for a U.S. Small Business Administration physical disaster loan. Applicants can apply online at sba.gov/disaster, call
"With the SBA, there is an additional 60 days that survivors can come to the center or go online at lending.sba.gov and complete the registration for the disaster that happened here for Helene," said Wakim Brice, officer in charge with the SBA in Mercer County.
"So far we have taken 73 applications in and given over a quarter million dollars dispersed for residents to repair physical structures as well as their personal belongings that may have been damaged and assisted business owners as well as renter in the area so we are gearing up for that," he said.
SBA representatives will be available at the Princeton Public Library until Feb. 114, Brice said.
THe SBA's Customer Service Center can be reached at 1-800-659-2955 or by email at disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay service.
Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com
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