Disaster Recovery Center in Ocean City to Close Thursday

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Recovery Center at the Ocean City Free Public Library will close permanently at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28.

Since the Ocean City center opened on Nov. 17, there have been more than 2,950 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors, according to FEMA. The center provided a one-stop clearinghouse for information and disaster assistance applications for residents and property owners affected by Sandy, which hit Ocean City on Oct. 29.

The deadline to apply for disaster assistance and loans is Friday, March 1. The library is at 17th Street and Simpson Avenue in the Ocean City Community Center.

Disaster recovery centers in two other New Jersey counties will close at the end of this week.

State and federal officials have been paying close attention to how many applicants are visiting centers throughout the state, FEMA said in a news release.

Over the past weeks, the number of individuals seeking help at disaster recovery centers in Monmouth, Ocean and Cape May counties has dropped, indicating the information needs of survivors in the area have mostly been met. 

In Ocean County, the Brick Township Center, located in the Brick Township Civic Center, 270 Chambers Bridge Rd., will close at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 1. Since the Brick Township center opened Nov. 5, 2012, there have been more than 6,012 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.

The Little Egg Harbor Center, located in the Little Egg Harbor Senior Center, 641 Radio Rd., will close at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 28. Since the Little Egg Harbor center opened Nov. 23, 2012, there have been more than 3,965 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.

The Toms River Center, located in the BellCrest Plaza, Storefront 4C, 953 Fischer Blvd., will close at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. Since the Toms River center opened Nov. 11, 2012, there have been more than 9,558 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.

In Monmouth County, the Leonardo Disaster Recovery Center, located in the Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Highway 36, will close on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Since the Leonardo center opened Nov. 6, 2012, there have been more than 4,573 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.

The Union Beach Center, located in the Union Beach Municipal Building, 650 Poole Ave., will close at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 2. Since the Union Beach center opened Nov. 5, 2012, there have been more than 5,811 visits from Hurricane Sandy survivors.