Cape May added to list of NJ counties eligible for Ida FEMA aid

Cape May County has been added to the list of counties eligible for public assistance for Ida damages after being declared a Major Disaster Area by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

FEMA also said that four more Disaster Recovery Centers would be closing this week, while the one in Middlesex County has now relocated.

The announcement on Friday brings the total to 13 counties that met the threshold of damages from either flooding or tornadoes caused by the violent storms on Sept. 1.

The others have been Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties.

Which DRCs remain open?

The DRC in Middlesex County has closed at the Middlesex Fire Academy in Sayreville and now is available at the Piscataway Fire Academy at 171 Baekeland Ave. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Union County just recently saw a new Disaster Recovery Center open in the Cranford Community Center at 220 Walnut Ave. It is open Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Essex County still has its DRC at Kmart at 235 Prospect Avenue #9413 in West Orange, while Somerset County has its DRC at North End Volunteer Fire Company #3, 169 North 8th Ave. in Manville.

DRCs in Hunterdon and Hudson counties permanently close Tuesday, while the centers in Bergen and Passaic counties close on Wednesday, all at 5 p.m.

Previously, the following centers already have closed: Warren, Morris, Mercer, and Gloucester counties.

Additionally, all centers now are closed on Sundays and close on weekdays at 5 p.m.

The Hudson County DRC at Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center is closed Monday for Columbus Day.

How much has been distributed

As of Oct. 5, FEMA had approved more than $88.5 million for 18,932 families in New Jersey.

Of that amount, more than $82.5 million was in Housing Assistance grants for repairs to primary residences or for rental of temporary housing, while more than $6 million was for grants to repair or replace damaged personal property or to pay for disaster-related necessary expenses and other serious needs.

FEMA had also completed damage inspections of 30,956 homes as part of determining whether applicants were eligible for assistance.

Help is still available

Disaster survivors can still access information and assistance online, by calling 800-621-3362, or through the FEMA app available for smartphones.

Survivors who are deaf, have a speech or hearing disability, and use TTY may call 800-462-7585. Multilingual operators are available.

The deadline to apply for disaster assistance is Nov. 4.

Residents who previously registered for assistance do not need to visit a center but can ask questions or seek further information in-person, in addition to online or by phone.

Those applying for FEMA assistance are urged to have the following information:

•  A current phone number where you can be contacted
•  Address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
•  Social Security number, if available
•  A general list of damage and losses
•  If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name