BETTENDORF, Iowa — UPDATED STORY (9/30): The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is moving its Disaster Recovery Center from Bettendorf to Davenport, Wednesday, September 30th, to help if you were affected by the storm.
It will be located at the Annie Wittenmyer Family Aquatic Center off Eastern Avenue from noon until 6 p.m. Wednesday. It will also be open from Thursday, October 1st through Saturday October 10th, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will also be closed on Sundays.
The center will operate as a drive-through, and visitors will be asked to stay in their vehicles.
ORIGINAL STORY (9/17): More than 1,000 households across Iowa have received assistance from FEMA after last month's derecho. But a new drive-up center in Bettendorf is allowing people access to assistance nearly one month after the storm.
The Bettendorf location is the third recovery center in Iowa since the derecho, but FEMA officials say a lot of people have already requested assistance online.
FEMA has already provided about $5 million in grants to homeowners and renters in Iowa. SBA has already approved more than $6 million in disaster loans for Iowa homeowners, renters and business owners. There is no cap in total assistance available for Iowa.
The Bettendorf drive-up center is for people to ask questions in person or to upload certain documents.
"Nice, very nice," says Bettendorf resident JoAnne Snyder, going through the drive-up on Thursday. "Rather than going online or waiting on the line to talk to someone on the phone, very nice."
"Insurance is your first defense," says John Mills, FEMA spokesperson. "A lot of people may be covered by their insurance. But if you have a need your insurance is not going to cover, or you already know they are not going to cover it, let us know and FEMA will try and provide assistance."
FEMA has centers set up in Cedar Rapids and Marshalltown. Officials say they've helped 25 to 50 people a day in those areas, but the numbers are going down.
The Bettendorf drive-up site will stay based on need. FEMA will give 48 hour notice before they leave. FEMA will not cover lost food, fallen trees, or insurance deductibles.