Benton Courier - FEMA: County is federal disaster

The county was declared eligible for both public and individual assistance on Monday as a result of the April 3 tornadoes and heavy rain that caused flooding, County Judge Lanny Fite said.
Individuals making claims must call 1-800-621-FEMA, Fite said.
“It’s about a 25-minute call,” he said. “When people call this number, they will be given a claim number which they must have for later when they come to the county recovery center.
“We will set up a disaster recovery center,” he said. “Sometime this week we will name the site. People will need the number they get in the 25-minute call in advance before coming to the recovery center.
“We will be meeting with FEMA officials in a few days. After that, we will name the site and the center will be set up to process people’s claims,” he said.
Fite said any residents who feel they have a claim “need to call FEMA before coming to the center. Otherwise, they will have to stop that process and make the call before a claim can be processed.”
State Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant, said officials were meeting with a FEMA representaive this morning to decide when a public meeting could be held.
“We’re meeting with Jamilah Fraser, public information officer with FEMA, and as soon as we know when we can get everyone together, we’ll set time for a meeting.”
The meeting will help guide people affected by the tornadoes and flooding through the claims procedure, Broadway said. “We’ll answer questions and tell them what to do step by step,” Broadway said.
Broadway said there may be two meetings, but he said that wouldn’t be determined until after this morning’s meeting. If there is just one, the meeting likely will be held at First Pentecostal Church off Arkansas 5 in Bryant, which served as a shelter for more than a week for those displaced by the storms, he said.
Northside Church of Christ at 917 N. East St. in Benton, has an ample amount of supplies for people in need. The supplies are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from noon to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Available supplies include water; cleaning supplies; baby needs; food and personal care items; bedding essentials; and outdoor items, such as rakes, shovels and tarps.
Jeff Davis of Northside Church of Christ said people will be asked to show a valid driver’s license or number given to them by the American Red Cross.
“We’re not too particular,” he said. “If people need more than one item they can take what they need.”

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