Fond du Lac disaster relief center open to Winnebago County residents

By Aldrich M. Tan • of The Northwestern • June 30, 2008

Winnebago County residents can use a disaster recovery center that is opening in Fond du Lac Tuesday.

Any of the disaster recovery centers are open to residents in the 29 state counties that have been declared disaster areas, due to heavy June flooding, who are eligible for individual assistance, said Nate Custer, public information officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The center, at the University of Wisconsin-Fond du Lac, 400 University Drive, will be open Tuesday from 1 to 7 p.m., Custer said. Normal business hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

The Fond du Lac center should be a convenience for those who live in the portion of Winnebago County that is closer to Fond du Lac, Custer said. Winnebago County's center is at South Park Middle School, 1551 Delaware St.

The disaster centers will continue to stay open as long as the need is out there, he said.

There were 58 new registrations in Winnebago County Saturday, bringing the total registration numbers to 1,265, Custer said Sunday.

There were 34 visitors to the Winnebago County center Saturday. A total of 232 people have visited the center in four days.

In the 29 declared counties in the state, 23,067 people have registered with FEMA, including 685 people on Saturday.

Statewide, 315 inspectors in the field have concluded 15,639 inspections and there still are 4,808 inspections pending.

As of Saturday, FEMA has provided $18.6 million to 9,296 Wisconsin individuals and households who have registered for help. Custer said the breakdown of the numbers by county is not available.

Custer advises people planning to visit a recovery center to register first. To register for federal assistance, call FEMA's toll-free line at (800) 621-FEMA or visit www.fema.gov