FEMA opening disaster recovery centers

FEMA disaster recovery centers will be set up in Jefferson County perhaps as early as this week, a FEMA representative said today. People who were affected by flooding should go to disasterassistance.gov and register, said FEMA's Jefferson County spokesman Scott Thomas. Once registered, a FEMA inspector will contact you for an appointment to look at your damage. Thomas said no FEMA representative will ask for money up front, or bank account information or any requirement to pay for assistance. "Anything else is fraudulent," Thomas said. "If you have not registered, you will not be contacted.” For people with no internet access, try visiting an established local government emergency center or wait for the FEMA disaster centers to open, Thomas said. If you think you have been targeted in a scam involving FEMA, call the Department of Homeland Security's fraud hotline at (800) 269-0271.