Contributed

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be setting up a Disaster Recovery Center in Clarke County.

The DRC will be located at the National Guard Armory on Highway 84 in Grove Hill.

Its hours will be 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.

The center will be open from Friday, September 23 – Wednesday, September 28.

Federal and state recovery specialists at DRC’s provide information about state/FEMA assistance to Alabama residents in declared counties who suffered damage from Hurricane Katrina.

Before visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, disaster victims are urged to call FEMA’s toll-free application number 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

Speech or hearing-impaired individuals may call 1-800-462-7585 (TTY).

The toll-free phone numbers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.

Multilingual operators are available at these numbers to assist disaster victims.

Applications for assistance can be completed online at http://www.fema.gov.

DRC’s serve as one-stop information centers and offer disaster victims a chance to talk face-to-face with federal recovery specialists, as well as state and local volunteer organizations who can provide additional assistance or help with unmet needs for disaster victims.

Mississippi and Louisiana disaster victims with hurricane damage or loss who have taken refuge in the area are invited to visit the DRC.

Applicants are reminded to bring their FEMA registration number and social security number when visiting any DRC.

Anyone who has already registered for federal/state disaster assistance is not required to visit a center regarding their application, but may do so for disaster-related information.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages the federal response and recovery efforts following an incident of national significance.

FEMA also initiates mitigation activities to reduce the risk of loss in future disasters, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

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The Red Cross will be closing their center in Clarke County on Thursday, September 22, 2005.

All appointments have been filled.

Residents of Clarke, Choctaw, Monroe, Washington, and Wilcox Counties are not eligible for Red Cross assistance at this time.

If you are an evacuee from Mobile County or other counties/parishes in Mississippi or Louisiana, you may call 251-438-2571 to schedule an appointment for Red Cross assistance.

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Hurricane Rita is expected to strengthen to a major hurricane before making landfall along the Central Texas Coast on Saturday.

Alabama impacts:

* Higher than normal surfs along the coastline

* Tides 1 – 1 1/2 feet higher than normal

* Increased rip currents

Locally, no significant impact is predicted for Clarke County.