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Rockdale disaster recovery center to close Oct. 10
Traffic slows to a trickle
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Representatives from agencies such as FEMA and the SBA stand ready to help flood victims.

Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open in the following locations from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, until further notice:

• Cherokee County. Cherokee County Parks and Recreation Department Gym, 200 Building, 7545 Main St. Woodstock, GA 30188
• Cobb County. The Threadmill, Suite 151, 5000 Austell/Powder Springs Road, Austell, GA 30106
• DeKalb County. Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road, Lithonia, GA 30038
• Douglas County. Lithia Springs First United Methodist Church, 3711 Temple St., Lithia Springs, GA 30122
• Douglas County. Heritage Baptist Church, 8800 Rose Ave., Douglasville, GA 30134
• Fulton County. Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor St. Southwest, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Gwinnett County. Mountain Park Depot, 5050 Five Forks Trickum Road, Lilburn, GA 30047
• Paulding County. Paulding County Community Center, 54 Industrial Way, Dallas, GA 30132
• Walker County. Walker County Agricultural Center, 10054 North Highway 27, Rock Spring, GA 30739

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Disaster recovery center opens

Five of the 14 Disaster Recovery Centers operated by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency are closing, including the center in Rockdale. Officials urge residents to go to the centers to meet face-to-face with specialists to get information or assistance with their recovery from the mid-September flooding.

"Traffic has slowed at the centers we are closing," said GEMA Director and State Coordinating Officer Charley English. "That's good news, because it means we've likely met most of the information need, and help remains available through other sources."

The following Disaster Recovery Centers will close at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10:

• Carroll County. Old Greenway Medical Building, 590 Hays Mill Road, Carrollton, GA 30117
• Catoosa County. Learning Center, 36 Muskogee Trail, Ringgold, GA 30736
• Chattooga County. Trion School, 919 Allgood St., Trion, GA 30753
• Rockdale County. Government Annex, 1400 Parker Road, Conyers, GA 30012
• Stephens County. Stephens County Senior Center, 199 Hayley Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577

"It is important for people to understand they can still get help at one of the other Disaster Recovery Centers or through the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362," said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech.

Szczech said those affected by the storm should first register for assistance, either online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585. The toll-free numbers are staffed seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help is available in all languages.

They can then come to the Disaster Recovery Centers to check on the status of their applications, review information needed to process their claim, get help filling out loan applications from the Small Business Administration (SBA), get lists of places to rent, learn ways to rebuild safely, and meet with specialists from other disaster assistance agencies.

SBA representatives will be at the Disaster Recovery Center to answer any questions about the SBA's low-interest disaster loan program for homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes. These loans are to repair or replace real estate and/or personal property damaged by the storms and flooding.

Representatives will help complete and accept SBA disaster loan application. Anyone not able to go to a Disaster Recovery Center should call the SBA Customer Service Center between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST, Monday through Saturday, toll-free at 800-659-2955 for information and assistance, or visit the SBA Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Applicants may apply for disaster loans from SBA's secure Web site at http://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/.

FEMA's temporary housing assistance and grants for public transportation expenses, medical and dental expenses, and funeral and burial expenses do not require individuals to apply for an SBA loan. However, applicants who receive SBA loan applications must submit them to SBA loan officers to be eligible for assistance that covers personal property, vehicle repair or replacement, and moving and storage expenses.