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FEMA Opens Disaster Recovery Center in Cairo

By: Sam Smith

ALEXANDER COUNTY -- A temporary flood recovery center is now open in Cairo.

The center opened Wednesday at Emerson Elementary School. Flood victims can go there for face-to-face meetings with federal disaster relief specialists. They can help people apply for recovery grants and loans. FEMA's Sam Ventura says flood victims have been through a lot and the agency is here to help.

"They've gone through a traumatic period with flooding in their homes so they're concerned and we want to make sure that somehow we could make these concerns a little less for them, that's why we're here," said Ventura.

The center in Cairo is open until Tuesday, June 21. It will re-open again from June 29 through July 5.

Flood waters forced Cairo residents to evacuate their homes for 10 days.

Deborah Pruitt's basement was flooded, damaging her water heater and creating mold. She went to FEMA's recovery center to get help.

"I'm glad they have it set up where we can get some type of relief, you know relief funds, because we lost all our food," she said, "And by them helping us it's helping us to replace some things we lost."

Once they were allowed to return home, Pruitt and her husband spent a week cleaning the basement. Another Cairo resident, John Miller, can't believe what he went through. He's thankful FEMA has reached out to his community.

"A lot of people don't know where to go. A lot of people, they're around here don't know about help unless they pick up a flyer or something.So it's nice, they come down through and see all the cars and marquee up there. So it gives people something to do," Miller told News Three.

FEMA is in Cairo to listen and to answer questions. Their public information officer says one-on-one attention is key.

"We're here and they can come in here and talk to somebody. It's not just telephones. They can come in and talk to somebody, it's very important to them," Ventura said.