Seven centers remain open to provide federal assistance in the final two weeks leading to Nov. 30, the deadline to register and to submit disaster loan applications for Hurricane Irene damage in New Jersey.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s two Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs), in Essex and Passaic counties, and five U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) business recovery centers are still open. All will close Nov. 24 for Thanksgiving, a federal and state holiday, and an SBA center in Bergen County will have a shortened schedule during Thanksgiving week. Most will reopen Friday, Nov. 25.
FEMA’s DRC hours:
ESSEX COUNTY
Fairfield Community Center
376 Hollywood Ave.
Fairfield, NJ 07004
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
PASSAIC COUNTY
Paterson Museum
2 Market St.
Paterson, NJ 07501
Hours: Mon-Fri 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
SBA’s BRC hours:
BERGEN COUNTY
New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Bergen Community College
355 Main St.
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Hours: Mon-Tues, Nov. 21-22 − 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Nov. 23-25
Hours: Mon-Wed, Nov. 28-30 − 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MONMOUTH COUNTY
Monmouth County OEM
300 Halls Mills Rd.
Freehold, NJ 07728
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
MORRIS COUNTY
Denville Municipal Building
1 Saint Mary’s Place
Denville, NJ 07834
Hours: Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PASSAIC COUNTY
Woodland Park Municipal Building
Community Room
5 Brophy Lane
Woodland Park, NJ 07424
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
UNION COUNTY
New Jersey Small Business Development Center at Kean University-Incubator
320 Park Ave.
Plainfield, NJ, 07060
Hours: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
NOTE: All business recovery centers will permanently close Nov. 30.
Customer service representatives at FEMA’s disaster recovery centers and the SBA’s business recovery centers can issue loan applications; answer questions about the disaster loan program; and explain and assist homeowners, renters and businesses with the application process.
The deadline to register with FEMA for assistance and the deadline to submit SBA loan applications for physical property damage is Nov. 30.
To register or to contact FEMA, go to www.disasterassistance.gov, m.fema.gov or call FEMA toll-free, 800-621-3362 (FEMA). Those with access or functional needs and who use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 or use 711 or Video Relay Service to call 800-621-3362. Telephone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., ET; multilingual operators are available.
Go to an online video describing the “do’s and don’ts when registering for disaster assistance”: www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/6486
Completing and returning the SBA application is an essential step in the federal recovery process. If you are a homeowner or renter and SBA determines you cannot afford a loan, you may be referred for other possible FEMA assistance. Visit the website at: www.sba.gov, call the customer service center at 800-659-2955 or send an email to: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Those with access or functional needs may call TTY 800-877-8339.
