This article was originally published in The Examiner on September 21, 2017.
By Eleanor Skelton
Staff Writer
The City of Port Arthur has begun the process of bringing home Port Arthur residents who were evacuated to other parts of Texas in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Transportation was coordinated by the City of Port Arthur’s Office of Emergency Management and the Texas Division of Emergency Management, city officials said in a news release.
The city’s plan is to have Port Arthur residents arrive at the Bob Bowers Civic Center shelter location. If they need shelter, on-site shelter personnel will check them in. If they have alternate living arrangements, city officials will ask them to have their transportation pick them up at the Civic Center upon arrival.
All residents who experienced damage from Hurricane Harvey will have access to a caseworker once they file for FEMA disaster assistance, the City of Port Arthur said. Every effort will be made to assist all residents with accessing both FEMA and other private nonprofit solutions to disaster housing and recovery options.
There are several methods for starting the process. You can visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center located at 3535 Gates Blvd. FEMA representatives are on site, along with representatives to help file for disaster unemployment (to recover lost wages/jobs), SBA loan application assistance, legal aid and hazard mitigation.
The FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. You can also register by phone at (800) 621-3362, online at www.disasterassistance.gov or download the FEMA app to any mobile phone or tablet at www.fema.gov/mobile-app.
Residents who need alternative shelter as a result of Hurricane Harvey damages to their home should visit the Disaster Recovery Center at on Gates Boulevard. Caseworkers there will help registering both individuals and families with the shelter as well.
Whether Port Arthur residents are staying in a shelter, living with friends or family or sheltering in their own homes, city officials said everyone who experienced personal property damage or loss should file with FEMA. If you receive a denial letter from FEMA, officials encourage you to follow-up with a FEMA representative at the Disaster Recovery Center because your denial could be a result of a lack of documentation. A FEMA representative can walk you through the process of correcting any missing information.
Eleanor Skelton 