HELP IS HERE

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center opens in Benton

By Philip Seaton STAFF WRITER

John Veach, manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Recovery Center in Benton, stands in front of the Family Life Center at Holland Baptist Church, 15523 Interstate 30, on Wednesday. Veach said the center, which is located at the church, will be open until Tuesday, May 27, to help victims of the April 3 storms in the recovery process. Philip Seaton

LITTLE ROCK — It’s not the kind of one-stop shopping that most people would want to be doing, but for those affected by the April tornadoes and floods in the Tri-Lakes area, it is a place that could offer some assistance.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center open on Wednesday with little fanfare at the Family Life Center at Holland Chapel Baptist Church at 15523 Interstate 30 in Benton.

John Veach, manager of the site for FEMA, said about 19 separate families had been to the center by the afternoon.

“Something that we always keep in mind is that these folks have had a rough time,” he said.

FEMA Public Information Officer Jamilah Fraser called the place a onestop shop for assistance.

“People can come in and get individualized assistance and sit down and get questions answered,” she said.

Represent at ives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Small BusinessAdministration are among the federal and state agencies that have set up shop in the building from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday until Tuesday, May 27.

“We are here to help people recover after the disaster,” Fraser said. “It may be to find out if they qualify for foodstamps or questions with disaster assistance. It has a little bit of everything. Everything is in one place, and everyone can find what they need.”

Though the site has been set up in Benton, Fraser said Hot Spring and Garland county residents who suffered damage with the storms could come to the center.

“It doesn’t matter what county you live in,” she said. “There is no word yet on whether or not there will be one (a recovery center) in Malvern.”

Veach said he wanted to stress to people to register first - though phone banks are set up to register for those if necessary.

“Then if they have a question, any kind of question, then come on in,” he said. “If they get a letter they don’t understand or if they get denied for some reason, we can explain it and probably help them fix it. It’s always good to come in and see people face to face.”

Veach, who has been with FEMA for three years and started working with the agency during the aftermath ofhurricanes Katrina and Rita, also said those who are having trouble with their insurance companies could come in as well.

“We actually have people from the Arkansas Department of Insurance here, and they can talk to them,” he said.

“If someone is having trouble getting an insurance settlement, we have a program that can help. The way it works is they get money from us, and when they get their insurance money, they give itback. This happens a lot, especially in a disaster like this where you have thousands and thousands of people involved. The insurance companies are like anybody else; they just get behind.”

Fraser said 348 have registered for assistance in Saline County, 46 in Garland and 23 in Hot Spring counties.

She also said there is just more than $1 million dollars available for housing assistance in Saline County and another $46,000 for personal property.

“ W hat our ma in job is here is providing housing assistance,” Veach said.

“We can help people with rental assistance, with repairs if they can’t live in their home and personal property, which comes through us and thestate of Arkansas. If we can’t help them, then we send them to the Small Business Administration, which makes a very low-interest loan.

“Our job is make sure that they have a safe secure home. I can’t help them with fences, out buildings or things like that, but we want to make sure they have a place to live.”

The maximum grant that can be received is $28,800 for housing assistance.

“I’ve seen several today (Wednesday) that got the max grants already, especially at [Hurricane Lake Mobile Home Park],” Veach said.

“Some are pretty close to that ... and that helps folks like that out. You can get agood start on a new mobile home with 28 grand.”

While FEMA provides assistance, both Fraser and Veach stressed the importance of insurance in the future.

“That is something that people need to understand, their best defense against disaster is insurance,” Veach said.

“If they don’t have insurance, then we are going to help them have a place to live, but we are not going to put it back to the way it was before the disaster. I don’t care how much they get from us.”

For those who need to register for FEMA assistance, they can call (800) 621-3362.

- pseaton@ arkansasonline.com

Tri-Lakes, Pages 121, 126 on 05/04/2008