Hurricane Matthew

As Hurricane Matthew response efforts continue, I want to share important updated information. Please share the information with your family and friends who may find it useful. 

Direct Federal Assistance

Individual Assistance is now available to residents and businesses in Bryan, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, and Wayne counties.

If you live in these counties and suffered loss or damage from Hurricane Matthew, visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov to register for Individual Assistance or call 1-800-621-3362.

Disaster Recovery Centers

FEMA will open Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) in Chatham and Glynn Counties at noon on Monday, October 24. Representatives will be available at the DRC to assist with questions and the application process for direct federal assistance for residents and businesses in addition to assisting with applications for low-interest disaster loans for homeowners, businesses, and renters, and answering questions related to specific cases. 

The DRCs will be located at:

Chatham County
Savannah Tech
5717 White Bluff Road
Savannah, GA 31405

Glynn County
Howard Coffin Park
1402 Sonny Miller Way
Brunswick, Georgia 31520

The centers will be open Monday - Saturday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  

Tax Relief

Additional residents in the First District of Georgia are now eligible for an automatic six-month extension for tax returns or payments due through October 17 as well as other tax relief measures. This may apply to individuals who live or have a business in Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, and Wayne Counties.

For more information regarding tax relief for individuals and businesses, click here. 

Disaster Loan Assistance

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the opening of a Business Recovery Center in Glynn County on October 24 to help businesses impacted by Hurricane Matthew. SBA representatives at the center can provide information about disaster loans, answer questions and help businesses complete the SBA application.

The center is located at:

UGA Marine Extension
715 Bay Street
Brunswick, GA 31520

It will operate Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturdays, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m, beginning October 24 at noon. 

For more information and to apply online for Disaster Loan Assistance, please visit https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ or call 1-800-659-2955.

Local Disaster Assistance

Federal recovery resources are now available for Brantley, Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh, Pierce, Ware, and Wayne Counties. These counties may now request funding under the Public Assistance grant program to cover eligible debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair or rebuilding of public facilities such as roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, equipment, public utilities, parks and recreational facilities. 

Important Numbers

For information regarding conditions and services in local areas, contact your local emergency management agency:

Bryan: (912) 858-2799
Camden: (912) 729-5602
Chatham: (912) 644-8811
Glynn: (912) 554-7826
Liberty: (912) 368-2201
McIntosh: (912) 437-6671

If you need assistance or have questions about Hurricane Matthew, call 1-800-TRY-GEMA (1-800-879-4362) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For medical or health related questions, call 1-866-PUB-HLTH (1-866-782-4584).

If you are in immediate danger call 911, but please reserve 911 for emergencies only.

Local Status

For continued updates on the status of your area visit:

Chatham County Emergency Information 

Glynn County Emergency Information

Georgia Emergency Management Information

Veterans Facilities

Up-to-date information about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs facilities can be found here. 

Housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced they will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Georgia and provide support to homeowners and some renters forced from their homes due to Hurricane Matthew.

HUD will:
Power Outages

Visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/storm to sign up for outage alerts and report and check the status of outages. You can also call 888-891-0938 24 hours a day to report and check the status of an outage. 

Traffic and Roadway Conditions

Visit 511ga.org or call 511 for the latest information on roadway conditions or to report flooding, road, or bridge damage. 

Agriculture 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is encouraging producers with crops insured under the federal crop insurance program to immediately contact their local crop insurance agent to report any damage to insured crops after the storm.

Livestock and pet guidance is available here. 

Additional information about USDA's disaster assistance is available here. 

Unaccompanied Minors

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) activated its Unaccompanied Minors Registry (UMR). Family members can go to umr.missingkids.org or call 1-800-THE-LOST to find unaccompanied children who may have been separated from parents or caregivers because of the storm. 

Blood and Platelet Donations

The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations as Hurricane Matthew has forced the cancellation of many blood drives. Residents who are in an unaffected area are encouraged to give blood or platelets to help patients in the affected areas with great need. Go toredcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS.

Volunteering

Anyone in the impacted areas looking to help or assist with response and recovery efforts can get involved by contacting their American Red Cross chapter or their local Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) chapter to connect to many organizations working on the ground that are in need of volunteers. To get in touch with your local VOAD, click here. 

Flood Insurance

If you have flood insurance through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and your property suffered flood damage, contact your local insurance agency or company to file a flood insurance claim. Find your insurance company's toll-free phone number here. 

Anyone with additional questions about filing a claim or their NFIP policy can call the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362 and press option “2.” 

As always, my staff and I are here for you in what ever capacity you may need. Please do not hesitate to contact us.