O'FALLON, Mo. — While the historic rainfall may be gone, recovery is far from over for those impacted.
A new disaster recovery center opened in O'Fallon, Missouri on Thursday, Sept. 1.
The Disaster Recovery Center at O'Fallon City Hall is the sixth recovery center to open since the historic rainfall and flooding that impacted the St. Louis area in late July.
Issa Mansaray, FEMA Media Relations Specialist, said they want everyone to know that FEMA is open and working for you this holiday weekend.
"Even on Labor Day, we don't have a holiday. We come here to work for you, and at the same time, we want to address your concerns," he said.
FEMA officials have taken over O'Fallon City Hall's multi-purpose room to help the residents there recover, according to Mansaray.
"We are here to help those that have been gravely impacted by this flooding," he said.
Mansaray said they are just trying to encourage people to come in and apply.
"The sooner you start the process, the sooner your concerns and the help that you need is addressed," he said.
Since being on the ground, FEMA has addressed a lot of those needs.
The federal agency has approved more than $27.2 million in individual assistance grants, helped more than 8,500 households and paid $12.9 million in insurance claims, according to Mansaray.
"This is a one-stop shop for all the help that you need. That is why FEMA is bringing the disaster recovery center very close to those that have been impacted," he said.
That help varies, according to Mansaray, from rental assistance to personal property to lodging reimbursements and more.
"Once you get in here, we make sure that you get the individual help you need one-on-one," he said.
While everyone's needs aren't the same, Mansaray said, FEMA's mission for each person stays true.
"During disasters, like these, people are overwhelmed, so we are here. We want to make sure that we help and ensure that they get all their questions answered," he said.
All the centers will be open on Sunday, Sept. 4, and on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 5, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
After Sunday, Sept. 4, disaster recovery centers will be closed on Sundays.
They'll remain open six days a week, Monday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. until further notice.