By LINDA CHION KENNEY
Open at The Regent in Riverview “indefinitely” is the closest FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) for Hillsborough County residents affected by the wrath of Hurricane Helene.
That’s the word from Angelito “Angel” Quijano, DRC manager for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who in an interview Monday, at 6437 Watson Road, discussed the center’s work in the wake of the historic Category 4 storm. The overarching focus for FEMA agents at The Regent is Hurricane Helene, but issues concerning Hurricane Debby are being addressed as well.
Signs upon entering the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at The Regent in Riverview attest to its being a “protected area” for those seeking relief, as “FEMA will not proactively share your information with immigration or law enforcement agencies.”
“We target Hillsborough County and Tampa residents, but if you’re from Sarasota or Pinellas [or anywhere else], we’ll take care of you,” Quijano said. “We’re open seven days a week from 9 to 6, indefinitely until the numbers don’t support us being here.”
Through its Individuals and Households Program (IHP), FEMA provides financial assistance and direct services to individuals and households that have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs caused by a disaster,
Benefits are determined on a case-by-case basis. The maximum relief is $42,500 for home repairs, and $42,500 for other needs assistance, including personal property loss. Unlike in the past, reforms have made these relief levels independent of one another.
Also, at the DRC at The Regent, in the building’s lower level and at various times, are representatives from other agencies offering relief, including the Small Business Administration and American Red Cross.
Aside from initial damages related to surge-related flooding, developing issues in the weeks ahead could include black mold that renders a house uninhabitable. “That’s something that folks should be aware of and get registered for assistance so that we can get an inspector out there to evaluate and document everything,” Quijano said.
FEMA Disaster Recovery Center Manager Angelito Quijano, at The Regent in Riverview, where FEMA has taken up shop in the lower level, at 6437 Watson Road
The DRC manager said registration requires essentially a social security number, which could be for any member of the household, including a child, and the address for the property that is damaged. Preliminary questions in this stage of the process will involve general questions about home and property damages and personal property losses.
“That’s as general as it will be, until you get to the inspection stage,” Quijano said. “That’s when we’ll send a representative from FEMA to do a cursory, eyeball inspection because we’re trying to survey as quickly as possible.”
After a relief decision is made, related via postal mail or online messaging at disasterassistance.gov/, the survivor can file an appeal, along with a third-party contractor report.
As for the people who work at FEMA disaster recovery centers, Quijano said they are a caring lot.
Linda Chion Kenney Photos
Angelito Quijano, FEMA Disaster Recovery Center manager, stands outside The Regent in Riverivew at 6437 Watson Road. The center serves Hillsborough County interests, as well as interests from other counties should their residents drop by for assistance.
“We do this because it’s in the service of others, and we come from all walks of life, including veterans, folks who worked many years in the federal government and educators,” said Quijano, who lives in Nevada. “We’re from all over the country, and our goal is to walk you through the process so that there’s no confusion of what’s coming next. We’re here to mitigate misinformation, and to mitigate people’s frustrations as much as possible.”
A sign on the door notes as well that the DRC at The Regent is a protected area designated to provide emergency response and relief. As such, it notes that “FEMA will not proactively share your information with immigration or law enforcement agencies.” Moreover, it states that “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will not conduct enforcement operations at or near this location, except in the most extraordinary of circumstances.”
For survivor registration status updates or any disaster related questions, contact FEMA at 800-621-3362 or visit www.disasterassistance.gov/.