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Disaster Recovery Office open Monday through Saturday

[photo: Leua Aiono Frost]
reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Territorial Individual Assistance director, Makerita Fiso (right) with US Federal Emergency Management Agecy (FEMA) personnel, Jesus Ceja and Rona McCloud at the joint ASG and FEMA operated Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs center in Pago Pago.

The DRC opens Monday to Saturday to offer residents affected by Tropical Storm Gita resources for disaster assistance. The DRC started yesterday with registration of residents from Ottoville (numbers 0001-0118). Ottoville numbers continue today with 0119-0236, according to a joint ASG/FEMA announcement. Only the head of household needs to attend.

The Territory and FEMA will provide a schedule for future village dates and times to register for federal assistance at the DRC.

Please remember, applicants should have the following information on hand during registration:

  • ▪       Social Security number
  • ▪       Address of the damaged primary residence
  • ▪       Description of the damage
  • ▪       Information about insurance coverage, if applicable
  • ▪       Current contact telephone number
  • ▪       An address where they can receive mail
  • ▪       Bank account and routing numbers for direct deposit of funds.

Individuals with access and functional needs who are heads of households and need to register should call the Crisis Hotline at (684) 633-9017. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Teams will come to your home to register you – you do not need to come to the DRC. Those in Ottoville already visited by DSA, with slips that have DSA written on them, do not have to come to the DRC, as they are already registered with FEMA.

SBA BOOTH FOR US SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AT DRC

Banners and signs showing a booth for the US Small Business Administration at the joint ASG and FEMA operated Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Department of Youth and Women’s Affairs center in Pago Pago.

The DRC opened yesterday and an SBA representative is present to provide details of programs provided by the federal agency for residents and businesses impacted by Tropical Storm Gita.

Among the loan programs are Business Physical Disaster Loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans, and Home Disaster Loans, according to the SBA information sheet, which also shows loan limits and interest rates.

According to a March 2, SBA news release, businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.