FEMA centers open in St. Clair County to aid July storm recovery [Video]

ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. – The devastation caused by the storms over a three-day period in July left countless families in St. Clair County scrambling to rebuild their lives. Now, two disaster recovery centers in Belleville and Cahokia Heights are offering a lifeline.

Two FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers have officially opened: one at the Southern Western Illinois Justice and Workforce Development Campus in Belleville, and the other at the Cahokia Heights Fitness and Community Center.

“Since the president approved our declaration on Sept. 20, we’ve been boots on the ground, trying to set up these disaster recovery centers, as well as sending our teams out door to door,” Leyla Gulen, U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security FEMA Media Relations Specialist, said.

These centers provide in-person support to residents seeking federal assistance for damages to their homes, belongings, and businesses.

“This is a place where they can meet face-to-face with a specialist …