SEMA News Release

JOINT SEMA/FEMA NEWS RELEASE

A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is opening Thursday, June 8, in Carter County, in the City of Van Buren. The center offers in-person support to individuals and businesses in any of the 27 counties included in the Missouri federal disaster declaration for flooding and severe storms that occurred between April 28 and May 11, 2017.

Recovery specialists from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other agencies will be at the center to discuss assistance and to help anyone who needs information or assistance filing an application. The new center is at this location:

Van Buren Youth and Community Center
1204 Hwy D
Van Buren, MO 63965
​The center will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

Homeowners, renters and business-owners are encouraged to register with FEMA before visiting a disaster recovery center. Register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling toll-free 800-621-3362 (FEMA) from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week until further notice. Multilingual registration assistance is available. Survivors may also register using the FEMA app for smartphones. 

In the coming days, FEMA will be opening additional disaster recovery centers in other communities included in the federal disaster declaration.  

Disaster survivors may visit any of the centers for assistance. Locations of recovery centers may be found online at fema.gov/DRC.

FEMA provides grants to qualified individuals for rental assistance, home repairs, or other serious disaster-related losses. 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters. 

SBA also offers low-interest working capital loans (called Economic Injury Disaster Loans) to small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations having difficulty meeting obligations as a result of the disaster.

SEMA and FEMA are committed to ensuring services and assistance are available for people with disabilities. When you register, let FEMA staff know that you have a need or a reasonable accommodation request. People who use 711 or Video Relay Services may call 1-800-621-3362. Those who use TTY may call 1-800-462-7585.

The federal disaster declaration covers eligible losses caused by flooding and severe storms between April 28 and May 11, 2017 in these counties: Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Madison, Maries, McDonald, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, St. Louis, Stone, Taney, and Texas.

For more information, call 573-751-5432 or e-mail mike.oconnell@dps.mo.gov