SACRAMENTO — The Thousand Oaks Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Ventura County will close permanently at 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 17.
The DRC, located at 173 Moorpark Rd., Suite A, Thousand Oaks, is open today, Saturday, Dec. 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 17 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The center will be closed Sunday, Dec. 16.
DRCs are jointly operated by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). DRCs offer information concerning resources available to homeowners, renters and business owners who sustained damage as a result of the wildfires.
Two other DRCs remain open to serve survivors of the Woolsey and Hill Fires:
| Los Angeles County
Malibu Courthouse 23525 Civic Center Way Malibu, CA 90265 Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Closed Sundays |
Los Angeles County
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation 30440 Agoura Rd. Agoura Hills, CA 91301 Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mon. thru Sat. Closed Sundays |
Representatives of FEMA’s Individual Assistance and Mitigation teams, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and other state and federal agencies, as well as nongovernmental service organizations, will continue to staff the DRCs in Los Angeles County.
DRCs are accessible for individuals with disabilities and access and functional needs. They have on-site communication accessibility tools, including amplified listening devices, Video Relay Interpreting and CapTel phones. ASL interpreters are available upon request.
Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damages to their homes, cars and businesses before they apply for FEMA assistance. They can register with FEMA online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). Multi-lingual operators are available. The toll-free numbers are open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. PST
Many of the services available at the DRCs are also available on the FEMA Helpline, including:
- Registering with FEMA to apply for disaster assistance;
- Providing a change of address, phone number, bank account and insurance information;
- Receiving information about FEMA home inspections;
- Getting other questions answered about federal disaster assistance;
- Asking questions about a letter from FEMA, and
- Learning how to appeal a FEMA decision.
Californians impacted by the wildfires that started on Nov. 8 in Butte, Los Angeles and Ventura counties can find their nearest DRC at https://egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator or by texting 43362 with the message DRC and their ZIP Code. Standard message and data rates apply.