Carroll County homeowners, renters, and businesses who experienced damage from severe storms and flooding from March 8-14, 2009, may seek assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Recovery Center in Monticello, according to Dave McDowell, director of the Carroll County EMA.

The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) is located at 315 N. Illinois St., Monticello, and will be open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., beginning today (Wednesday).

Residents may call FEMA to pre-register or just go to the DRC. McDowell said residents should go as soon as possible. It is uncertain how long the DRC will be open, but DHS officials say it will be open through this weekend, at least.

Registration can be made online at www.disasterassistance. gov or by calling 1-800- 621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers are available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, seven days a week.

FEMA individual assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover unin- sured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. McDowell said FEMA officials can help with ICC Coverage questions (funds available to elevate a flood-prone home), and many other questions. Refusal of initial FEMA applications is NOT the end of the road for assistance, and FEMA officials can explain this in detail.

Local case management help is available through the Disaster Assistance for Northwest Indiana (DANI). DANI will help flood survivors identify appropriate help with recovery needs. For local case management help, leave a message at 877-773-0249 (toll free) or send an e-mail to director@daniflood.org. Current information is available at the DANI website, http://daniflood. org.

Carroll County is one of 13 Indiana counties approved for the federal assistance. The other counties are Allen, DeKalb, Fulton, Jasper, Kosciusko, Lake, LaPorte, Marshall, Noble, Pulaski, White and Whitley.