Aid process under way

There wasn't much activity going on early Wednesday afternoon at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Recovery Center in Seymour.

But FEMA officials expected that to change as the day wore on.

The agency, along with the Small Business Administration, set up shop at the Jackson County Education Center at noon. By 2 p.m., only two victims of last month's near-record flooding had visited the center seeking federal assistance. Both were from Medora, one of the hardest hit areas in the county.

Kim Hodges, Medora resident and president of the Medora Lions Club, said he planned to bring several residents to the center in the next few days to help them through the process.

"It can be intimidating for them," Hodges said. "I'm just here to hold their hand and make sure they get what they need."

On Wednesday, Hodges sat with Lester Wingler, asking questions on his behalf and getting Wingler registered for assistance.

Hodges estimated around 10 families from Medora would need to visit the center.

Timothy Robinson, center manager, said he didn't know how many Jackson County residents had already filed for
FEMA assistance or would, but urged anyone who has damage to do so by visiting the center.

Flood victims wanting to register or who have questions about assistance should enter JCEC from the back entrance off Lynn Street. Signs are posted in the area to direct people to the right location.

"When they come here they can do anything from registering for assistance to finding out where their application is in the process to determining their eligibility," Robinson said.

FEMA, however, isn't going to be the answer to every problem, he added. The most money a person can receive from the organization is $28,800. Many people won't qualify for the full amount.

"FEMA is not going to be able to make you whole," he said. "We're here to make sure that your living conditions are safe, sanitary and functional."

Victims should be prepared to answer several questions about damage to their property, the number of people living in their household and other basic questions.

Although FEMA will ask for a Social Security number in person, the organization will not contact victims by phone and request personal information.

"If anyone calls and asks for that kind of information, I would recommend not giving it out," Robinson said. "Also, anyone that comes to your house, you should ask to see official government identification."

Several FEMA representatives were on hand Wednesday as well as those from the SBA and the American Red Cross. Although SBA primarily serves businesses, it also provides low-interest loans to homeowners to repair or rebuild their homes. Often FEMA will deny assistance until a victim has applied to the SBA. If rejected by that organization, FEMA will then re-evaluate the case to determine how much federal money a victim will receive.

"It depends on the severity of the damage," Robinson said. "There are a lot of reasons someone might be turned down. Most of the time it's because we need more information."

By 6 p.m. Wednesday, five residents had stopped by, but officials weren't discouraged.

"We just have to get our name out there and let people know we're here," Robinson said.

The center was scheduled to reopen today from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and also will be open Friday and Saturday.

"It's a lot easier than dealing with a stranger asking a whole bunch of questions on the phone," Hodges said of the disaster recovery center.

"They did a really good job of keeping it organized," he added. "Most people are just confused about what to do next, and coming here makes it a little easier to understand."

Robinson said the registration process by phone can take up to 30 minutes, and often people feel more comfortable talking to someone face-to-face.

"It only takes about 15 minutes to get them registered here," he added. "It's been pretty positive so far. We haven't had any issues or problems yet. I would say 95 to 98 percent of people are just grateful we're here."