FEMA to close Wayne County disaster recovery centers for households hit by August storms
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is closing its remaining two disaster recovery centers in Wayne County on Wednesday, as the deadline nears to apply for assistance to recuperate from severe storms that hit Michigan last summer.
A disaster declaration earlier this year unlocked federal aid available for people in Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne counties who were affected by storms, tornados, and flooding that pummeled the region Aug. 24-26. The storms knocked out power for tens of thousands of people, delayed dozens of flights, flooded freeways, damaged cars and structures, and led to injuries and deaths.
On Monday, FEMA announced that the agency is permanently shuttering its recovery centers in Detroit and Taylor. The deadline to apply for the federal aid is May 8. Although residents do not need to visit a recovery center to apply for FEMA assistance, it's where they can go for one-on-one help in applying for relief or get information on available resources.
The remaining disaster centers will close this Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., according to a news release. Here are the locations and hours of operation:
Butzel Family Recreation Center: 7737 Kercheval Ave. in Detroit; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Wayne County Community College Downriver Campus: 21000 Northline in Taylor; 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
The FEMA aid may include rental assistance and home repair grants. Residents in the FEMA-designated counties with damages from the August storms can apply for aid by going to DisasterAssistance.gov online, downloading the FEMA mobile app, or calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Those who use a video relay service or captioned telephone service can give FEMA their number for that service.
For the latest information, go to fema.gov/disaster/4757.
Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@freepress.com; 313-348-7558. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @NushratR.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: FEMA to close recovery centers in Wayne County
