The State of Mississippi and the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened a Disaster Recovery Center at the Montgomery County Coliseum in Winona on Tuesday.
Recovery specialists from the state, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and federal agencies are at the center to help survivors of the March storm with FEMA applications, answer questions and provide referrals to resources, according to a statement released by FEMA.
Montgomery County Emergency Operations Center Director Allan Pratt said FEMA and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are interviewing storm victims regarding damage and the need for debris clean up.
“FEMA is in town for individual assistance and public assistance, and they’re going to homes,” said Pratt.
According to FEMA, people affected by the storm do not have to go to the Disaster Recovery Center to apply to FEMA. Homeowners and renters can go online to DisasterAssistance.gov; call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week; or use the FEMA App for smartphones to apply.
Pratt went on to say, “Anyone that needs debris cleanup can still call the Montgomery County Extension Office.”
“[FEMA and MEMA] have not introduced the [storm shelter] program yet,” said Pratt. “They feel confident that we will be involved in it, but at this time, we have no further information.”
Along with state and federal agencies, Pratt said a number of faith-based groups and nonprofit organizations have assisted in the recovery of the March 24 tornado devastation, including Crisis Clean Up, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, God’s Pit Crew, Moore Memorial United Methodist Church, Montgomery County and Winona city employees, the Montgomery County Extension Office and specifically, Calbrina Woods and Chad Bowen.
“We cannot express enough thanks to all the volunteers -- locally, in-state and out-of-state -- for all the assistance that has been and is being provided,” said Pratt.
Center hours for the Montgomery County Disaster Recovery Center are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Homeowners and renters can visit any center for help.
