Disaster Recovery Center opens

ALBANY — Dougherty County’s first Disaster Recovery Center opened Saturday at the Isabella School at 300 Cason Street. Storm survivors are encouraged to come to the location to get personal guidance for their individual disaster situation.

The hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday from 1-7 p.m. Small Business Administration and Federal Emergency Management Agency employees are present, and can offer the following assistance:

• Guidance regarding each individual’s disaster recovery plan;

• Clarification of all written correspondence received from FEMA and the SBA;

• Housing assistance;

• Crisis counseling;

• Disaster legal services;

• Disaster unemployment;

• Problem resolution and referrals to agencies that can provide additional assistance.

It is important to note, that if a citizen has damage to their business or home, they need to first file a claim with their insurance, officials said. Federal assistance is available for the underinsured and uninsured.

“While it is is not necessary to visit the center to register for and receive federal disaster assistance, I strongly encourage people to take advantage of the face-to-face help,” Dougherty County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas said. “Navigating the federal system, on top of dealing with property damage, can be overwhelming, and I hope people who will benefit from this individual counseling will take advantage of it.”

Storm victims can quickly reach FEMA by calling (800) 621-3362, online at disasterassistance.gov or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center. The Albany Civic Center is still operating as a shelter, and a FEMA team is stationed there, meeting directly with residents effected by Hurricane Michael. FEMA officials are at the center during business hours from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Starting Monday, FEMA teams will go directly into devastated neighborhoods to register people.

The Point of Distribution (POD) located at 2424 Sylvester Rd. in Albany is closed, as local emergency officials relocate food and supplies to a new distribution site. The new site will be announced soon. Deputy Dougherty Emergency Management Agency Director Jenna Chang said that officials with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard made the decision Friday to close the state and federally manned POD based on data showing a high percentage of people with restored power.

More than 40,000 individuals were served at the Sylvester Road POD from Oct. 13-19.

“These outside emergency agencies have determined that we don’t have adequate need anymore as the PODs are used only for emergency life-sustaining measures,” Chang said. “This means we are ready to transition to the next step in this area of the emergency response, and that is to the local level, where all emergency responses begin and end.”

The Emergency Operations Center remains fully manned, and citizens can call (229) 483-6226 or (229) 483-6227 for information and assistance. If people are in need of food, The United Way 211 line can connect individuals with food resources as well as provide other information.

A resident guide is available to the public concerning storm debris removal, and the county’s state of emergency remains in effect until Friday. To find where to access the guide, call the county emergency operations center.

The American Red Cross is using five emergency response vehicles to deliver 5,000 meals ready to eat to the areas of West Highland, Radium and other parts of east Albany. They will attempt to go neighborhood by neighborhood to distribute the meals.

All volunteers must register with the Community Organizations Active in Disaster at 925 Pine Ave. and receive a bright pink tag/placard for their windshields that designates them as legitimate volunteers. All contractors must register with the business license office at 240 Pine Ave. and receive a bright yellow tag/placard for their windshields.

If volunteers and contractors are unable to produce this documentation, residents need to call the county’s emergency operations center or a law enforcement agency.

The Southern Baptist Convention is no longer accepting new intakes, but will continue to serve the people on its list. The Albany Area YMCA is now offering free showers to disaster victims, but they must also bring own towel, and the organization is also offering Red Cross comfort kits. The National Guard stations are no longer active.

For residents in need of trees removed from their property, contact Samaritan’s Purse at (229) 733-4423 from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. or seek assistance through Cajun Navy Foundation at www.crowdrelief.net. Services are available to home owners only, and homeowner’s insurance should be contacted before work begins. A waiver must be completed before services are rendered.

Citizens on food stamps in need of food reimbursement can submit an online form through the Division of Family and Children Services at https://dfcs.georgia.gov/food-stamp-benefits-replacement.

Volunteers are being sought to assist with disaster relief efforts. Register online at Samaritan’s Purse at www.spvolunteer.org. Monetary donations are being taken through a Sherwood Baptist Church link, https://pushpay.com/g/sherwoodbaptist?src=hpp, at which donors should designate “Albany Storm Relief.” In-kind donations may be delivered to 925 Pine Ave. from 9 a.m.-noon Monday through Saturday, or at the Market Square Plaza, 2231 Dawson Road, Suite D, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Red Cross is operating a shelter to the Albany Civic Center, to which Albany Transit can provide transport. Planet Fitness at 1016 N. Westover Blvd. is providing showers daily from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. The Salvation Army is providing lunch and dinner daily at the Jane Wilson Boys and Girls Club, Tallulah Massey Park and Carver Recreation Center.

World Vision is distributing disaster supplies from the Cutliff Grove Family Resource Center at 841 W. Broad Ave., while Victory Tabernacle Church is distributing out of its facility at 3250 Sylvester Road. Billy Graham Ministries is offering chaplains for prayer at 925 Pine Ave., and Sherwood is providing spiritual counseling by calling (229) 886-4045.

Citizens can now apply online for Albany area disaster recovery assistance using an online form at the Albany Relief and Recovery website, www.arrcoad.com, or by calling (229) 288-2669.