AMU Emergency Management Public Safety

Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers Now Open

By Kimberly Arsenault
Contributor, EDM Digest

The [link url=”https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/01/04/2-disaster-recovery-centers-open-pigeon-forge-and-gatlinburg” title=”Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has opened two disaster recovery centers in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee”].  On November 28, 2016, a rapidly spreading wildfire exacerbated by hurricane force winds swept through Gatlinburg and engulfed many of the homes and businesses in the surrounding area.

A total of more than 2,400 structures were destroyed, leaving thousands unemployed and homeless. Fourteen deaths resulted from the wildfires, as attempts to notify residents and evacuate the town were hampered by widespread power outages and lost communications, including downed cell phone towers. [link url=”http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/tennessee/2016/12/13/officials-wildfires-caused-500m-damages/95370762/” title=”Gatlinburg Fire Chief Greg Miller”] also stated that when asked to leave, some residents resisted being evacuated or simply refused to leave. Other factors hampering the evacuation included a weather report that did not accurately predict the time of arrival and wind velocity on Monday which caused the blaze to escalate much earlier and faster than previously estimated.

Individual and Business Assistance

The disaster recovery centers are set to assist homeowners, renters, and business owners that were impacted by the wildfires in Sevier County. The centers will be staffed by representatives from the U. S. Small Business Administration, the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, and FEMA. The representatives will help explain the various disaster assistance programs, help survivors apply for assistance, and further educate residents and business owners about receiving application updates and the appeals process.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/sevier-county-wildfire-death-toll-reaches-13/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/wildfires-how-to-prepare-and-protect-homes-and-families/”]

At the Gatlinburg Community Center disaster recovery location, a Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development will also be available on Friday, January 6, 2017. Eligible individuals and households do not have to visit a recovery center to register to receive benefits, a [link url=”https://www.fema.gov/mobile-app” title=”mobile app”] and [link url=”https://www.disasterassistance.gov/” title=”online registration”] are also available along with various [link url=”https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2017/01/04/2-disaster-recovery-centers-open-pigeon-forge-and-gatlinburg” title=”phone numbers”] to call, including assistance for deaf or disabled individuals.

Disaster Recovery Centers

The two centers that will be open are at the following addresses:

Sevier County:

Location:

Factory Outlet Mall

2850 Parkway, Suite 5

(Between Country Music USA and Handbag Superstore)

Pigeon Forge, TN, 37863

Hours:

Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Saturdays – 9:00 a.m. to noon

Sundays – Closed

Location: 

Gatlinburg Community Center

156 Proffitt Road

Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Hours:

Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Saturdays – 9:00 a.m. to noon

Sundays – Closed

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/supporting-psychiatric-care-for-first-responders/” url2=”http://edmdigest.com/response/can-we-actually-protect-our-first-responders/”]

Kimberly Arsenault serves as an intern at the Cleveland/Bradley County Emergency Management Agency where she works on plan revisions and special projects. Previously, Kimberly spent 15 years in commercial and business aviation. Her positions included station manager at the former Midwest Express Airlines, as well as corporate flight attendant, inflight manager, and charter flight coordinator. Kimberly currently holds a master's degree in emergency and disaster management from American Public University.

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