Pierce County residents and businesses who were affected by the flooding in January can now apply to FEMA for damage assistance face-to-face at the Pierce County Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) beginning today at noon.

The DRC is located at Puyallup’s South Hill Mall, inside the old JC Penney’s entrance. The DRC will be open until 7 p.m. today and then Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m – 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. The center will remain open until further notice.

Visitors to the DRC will find information on:

— FEMA and state disaster assistance programs

— SBA low-interest disaster loans and how to complete the loan application

— Smart building techniques to reduce damage from future floods

— Flood insurance

— Pierce County and other agency programs

Residents can also register on-line at disasterassistance.gov or over the phone at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).

To expedite the application process either in-person or on-line, please have the following available:

1. Your Social Security number.

2. Current and pre-disaster address.

3. A telephone number where you can be contacted.

4. Insurance information.

5. Total household annual income.

6. A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account).

7. A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.