Wednesday, April 27, 2011, was one THE most distructive weather day in recent memory for the State of Alabama. Governor Robert Bentley has now declared 42 of the 67 counties in Alabama as disaster areas. Two of the worst hit are Tuscaloosa and Jefferson.
This blog is for those Alabamaians living in Jefferson County, Alabama. However, much of the information may apply to anyone going through a disaster. I will separate the following information into several categories, e.g. shelter, food, clothes, debris removal, insurance, medications needed, other:
I will try to keep the information as current as I can.
SHELTER:
1. The Red Cross is operating 3 shelters in Jefferson County, Alabama. They are:
a. The Boutwell Auditorium in downtown Birmingham
1931 Eighth Avenue, North
Birmingham, AL
b. Dora First Baptist Church
1440 Sharon Boulevard
Dora, AL
c. Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church
1348 Hueytown Road
Bessemer, AL
2. FEMA (Individual Assistance Line - 1-800-621-3362) assistance is available for the following:
- Temporary Housing (a place to live for a limited period of time): Money is available to rent a different place to live, or a government provided housing unit when rental properties are not available.
- Repair: Money is available to homeowners to repair damage from a disaster to their primary residence that is NOT covered by insurance.
- Replacement: Money is available to homeowners to replace their homes destroyed in a disaster that is NOT covered by insurance.
- Permament Housing Construction: Direct assistance or money for the construction of a home. (This type of help only occurs in remote locations where no other housing assistance is possible.)
- Concord Mobile DRC at Union Hill Baptist Church
7049 Taylor's Ferry Road
Concord, AL - Fultondale Mobile DRC in the Ashley Furniture Parking Lot
3429 Lowery Parkway
Fultondale, AL - Warrior Mobile DRC at the National Guard Armory in Warrior
140 Cane Creek Road
Warrior, AL - Forestdale Satellite Courthouse
1485 Forestdale Boulevard
Foresdale, AL - Scott's School in Pratt City (Report to Room 3 - Volunteers & See Ms. Edna Brown)
1517 Hibernian Street
Pratt City, AL
You can call FEMA at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or if you have hearing/speech impaired call 1-800-462-7585.
4. HUD (Housing and Urban Development) - call (205) 731-2617. Low cost (Section 8 Rental Certificate Program) to assist very low-income families.
FOOD and WATER:
1. The USDA has approved Disaster Food Assistance for Alabama to Jefferson County. This is program is designed to provide food benefits to people who might not ordinarily qualify for the Food Assistance Program. Jefferson County DHR will be accepting applications May 10-15 between 7 am and 6 pm at Boutwell Auditorium, 1930 Eighth Avenue, North, Birmingham, Alabama. The application schedule for Jefferson County is based on the first letter of the person's last name and is as follows:
- Tuesday, May 10 --------- A through E
- Wednesday, May 11 ----- F through J
- Thursday, May 12 --------K through O
- Friday, May 13 -----------P through S
- Saturday, May 14 --------T through Z
- Sunday, May 15 --------- Make-up day for persons who missed their scheduled application day
3. The United Way - call 211 and give your zip code to find a distribution point to go to pick up food or water.
4. Tastee Kitchen, 1324 Pinson Valley Parkway, Tarrant is offering free food for people affected by the tornado near Tarrant. You need to provide ID that shows that you are from that area.
5. Cedar Grove Baptist Church, 2001 Cedar Grove Road, Leeds, will open a soup kitchen at 5 pm for anyone in the Leeds area needing dinner. You must show ID that proves you from the Leeds area.
6. The Salvation Army is running food vehicles for first responders and for victims. Three are in the Pleasant Grove area and one is in the Pratt City area.
7. Mountaintop Community Church, 225 Centerview Drive in Vestavia Hills, is serving a free meal for those without power and victims of the tornadoes. You must show ID that proves you are from the over the mountain areas.
8. 16 Senior Centers in Jefferson County will have shelf stable means for seniors age 60 and older who were affected by the tornadoes. You must show ID proving you are 60 or over and complete a form at each site. You can receive from 5 to 10 shelf stable meals at the sites. Those sites are:
Concord Area - Hueytown Sr. Center, St. John Sr. Center (Dolomite) and Sylvan Springs Sr. Center
Fultondale Area - Fultondale Sr. Center, Gardendale Sr. Center and Hoopersville Sr. Center (Hooper City)
Warrior Area - Kimberly Sr. Center, Morris Sr. Center and Warrior Sr. Center
Foresdale Area - Adamsville Sr. Center and Foresdale Sr. Center
South & West of Jefferson County - Fairfield Sr. Center, Midfield Sr. Center and Western YMCA Sr. Center.
CLOTHES:
1. The Salvation Army provides clothing immediately following a disaster - (205) 328-2420.
2. The Greater Birmingham Ministries, 2304 12th Avenue, North, Birmingham - 205) 326-6821.
3. The Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill Campus, 901 Overton Road, Birmingham, AL. Call Wanda Carter at 516-9667.
4. The American Red Cross - local number is 205-439-7800.
5. Cottage Hill Baptist Church, Pleasant Grove - call (205) 744-8521
6. Hunter Street Baptist Church, Hoover - call (205) 985-7295
CLEARING Away DEBRIS:
1. If there is a downed tree over a power line, call Alabama Power - 1-800-888-2726. The power company urges customers to AVOID touching any lines or debris touching them as they still may have power going through them.
2. Birmingham Baptist Association - call (205) 599-3245
3. The Moody Fire Department, 670 Park Avenue, is the command center in Moody. Call Patsy Beard at 640-0302 if you are in the Moody area and need help clearing debris from your property.
4. Gardendale First Baptist Church - contact Terri Shugart at (205) 488-8716
5. Valleydale Church - contact Lonny Bearden (205) 965-7847
MEDICATIONS:
1. M-Power Ministries, 4022 Fourth Avenue, South, Birmingham, Alabama - call (205) 595-5959. M-Power opened a satellite clinic in the Pratt City community which is open from 8 am to 7 pm to provide tornado victims with medications they lost or can't quickly replace.
2. The Church of the Highlands, Grants Mill Campus, 901 Overton Road, Birmingham, Alabama can furnish Insulin and other immediately necessary medications - call 516-9667.
INSURANCE:
1. State Farm - 1-800-732-5246
2. Alfa - 1-800-964-2532
3. Allstate - 1-800-255-7828
4. Farmers - 1-800-435-7764
OTHER:
1. The Governor's Recovery Response Line - call 1-866-465-2241.
2. IRS - call (205) 912-5333 if you need guidance about your taxes or about obtaining tax relief for disaster casualty loses.
3. Social Security Administration - call (205) 323-7028 if you have lost your Social Security or Medicare cards or if you need help in getting your checks which were delayed by the disaster or if you are applying for benefits.
4. Veterans Administration - call (205) 731-0550 if you need guidance in obtaining death benefits, pensions, and insurance settlements.
5. Disaster Unemployment Assistance/Employment Development Department (EDD) - call 866-234-5382. This service provides weekly benefit payments to those out of work due to a disaster.
6. Small Business Administration (SBA) - call (205) 290-7101. This agency provides low-interest rate loans for home/personal property losses or damages.
7. Crisis Counseling - short-term intervention counseling is available for emotional and mental health problems caused or aggravated by the disaster. These are some places to call:
a. Bradford Health Services - 1-800-293-7191 / 1-888-577-0012
b. Wellspring Christian Clinic - 205-977-3003
c. Relationships, Inc. - 205-991-3683
d. Lifesource - 205-326-1513
e. UAB Mental Health Services - 205-934-7008
8. Pets and Animal services in Jefferson County, Alabama - call 205-397-8534 between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm ( do not leave a voicemail). If you are staying at a Red Cross shelter and have a pet, the Red Cross will contct the Greater Birmingham Humane Society directly to make arrangements.
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