JERSEY CITY – Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy announced Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will open a disaster recovery center in Jersey City at the Jersey City Museum, 350 Montgomery St., which is also the site of administrative offices for Jersey City Medical Center. The center will be open daily from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Residents do not need an appointment, and will be able get assistance from FEMA and file claims.
FEMA set up a similar recovery center several days ago in Hoboken, which was also hit hard by Hurricane Sandy.
When visiting the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center, residents should bring the following items: Social Security Number or card, including that of their spouses; the full address of the damaged property; directions to the damaged home or property; full contact information; bank account information if you want disaster assistance funds deposited directly.
Over the weekend, senior officials from FEMA took a tour of several Jersey City neighborhoods hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy and released information regarding how residents can begin to apply for relief funds from the federal government.
John O. Brennan, deputy national security advisor and special aide to President Obama, toured Country Village and areas of downtown Jersey City, two communities in which many residents experienced devastating flood damage to their homes and lost furniture, appliances, electronics, and other valuables. Brennan was accompanied by Robert Fenton, FEMA’s assistant administrator for response.
“FEMA checks are already being sent out. We’re doing inspections right now of individuals’ homes. The process is, someone has to phone in and register.
Once they register it usually takes a couple days to get an inspector out to look at the residence. And then maybe four or five days to process [the claim] if all the information is together,” Fenton explained to the Reporter on Saturday. – E. Assata Wright
FEMA to open disaster recovery center in Jersey City
