Saturday was Ronald and Martha Jones' last visit to the disaster recovery center in Charleston, but it wasn't their first. The Elkview couple, whose home was damaged in the June 23 flash flooding, had been to the center probably four times since the flood struck, they said.
"It's just a lot of paperwork to go through," Ronald Jones said. "That's the main thing."
Saturday was the last day for flood survivors to get one-on-one help at the Charleston DRC, located at 3300 Pennsylvania Ave., and at one located at 6 White St. in Richwood. Both centers closed Saturday afternoon for good. Staff members at the Pennsylvania Avenue site were anticipating a busy last day.
The Jones had flood insurance but FEMA has been helping them rent a home while repairs are made to their own. Water rose 29 inches in their house and six feet in their garage, they said. The couple lost furniture, appliances and other items in the flood.
"They've been exceptionally nice, very helpful, polite," Jones said of the DRC staff. "And we've just about converted them to hillbillies."
FEMA spokesman Bob Howard said 2,109 homeowners and renters in Kanawha County have so far registered for help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
While the Charleston and Richwood DRCs are closed, flood survivors may still register for help from FEMA online or by phone. The deadline to register for disaster assistance through FEMA is Sept. 7. Howard said FEMA has so far awarded more than $12.5 million in grants to Kanawha County flooding victims.
A decision to close the DRCs are made when the number of visitors to them begins to drop off, Howard said.
FEMA has three remaining disaster recovery centers in Clendenin, White Sulphur Springs and Rainelle. Howard said residents are encouraged to register with FEMA before they visit a DRC.
"The purpose [of the disaster recovery center] is to help people after they register. To actually bring up their applications help them with any information that's missing," Howard said.
To register for disaster assistance, visit DisasterAssistance.gov, call 800-621-3362, or find an open disaster recovery center at www.fema.gov/drc.
Reach Lori Kersey at lori.kersey@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-1240 or follow @LoriKerseyWV on Twitter.