Disaster Recovery Center opens in Wasilla

WASILLA — The Disaster Recovery Center run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency opened on Monday for Valley residents impacted by the Nov. 30, 2018, 7.0 earthquake.

FEMA employees have set up shop at the Christ First United Methodist Church on 2635 South Old Knik Road. FEMA has staffed the DRC with 10 employees trained to deal with disaster recovery. The DRC will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The DRC at Christ First United Methodist is handicap accessible and translation is available in American Sign Language as well as many other secondary languages.

“It’s coming and making programs and benefits accessible to all those impacted by disaster. Disaster recovery centers are physically accessible to all and provide communication access that as DSC’s we provide captioned phones, amplified phones TTY’s and beta remote interpreting,” said DRC Manager Oscar Salvatier.

FEMA is asking that anyone seeking funds to repair damages suffered during the Nov. 30 earthquake go and sign up online prior to coming to the DRC in person.

“We’re honored to be here and try to help those that have been affected. We try to leave what we have and put that first and try to be as comforting as possible. We try to be empathetic of course, sympathetic as much as we can, but we do leave whatever behind and we put our focus here to try to see what way we can take them to the next level and get them out of that challenging situation,” Salvatier said.

FEMA spokesperson Jack Heesch said that some might be directed to the Small Business Association to apply for a loan there as well.

“What we have there are FEMA staff who can get people registered for FEMA assistance who can work with folks and let them know what the process will be, answer their questions, let them know what documentation they may need to have and get them back on the road to recovery,” Heesch said.

Heesch is one of only two FEMA employees serving in Alaska. Heesch says that following the earthquake, over 200 FEMA workers are located throughout southcentral Alaska helping to deliver assistance.

“The people who are doing this do it because they feel like they want to give back or if they’re younger people because it gives all of us a sense of fulfillment in that we’re helping folks who are in need of a hand,” Heesch said.

Those applying for FEMA assistance will have to file for both federal and state assistance, as Alaska has its own Individual Assistance Program.

FEMA set up a DRC in Eagle River last week, and is scheduled to open two more. The Wasilla DRC is the farthest north, and employees are not certain when they will be finished with their work.

“Our main purpose is safe, sanitary, and functional is our main focus. Our main direction we’re going to take is to repair, replace, or rent for lodging until they can actually get back on their feet,” Salvatier said.

As word had not yet traveled that FEMA was opening their DRC on Monday, they did not see an overflow of citizens seeking disaster recovery funds. Most of the Valley residents who walked through the doors seeking help then had to fill out their initial paperwork, which FEMA noted can be done online or over the phone before walking in.

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.