The clock is ticking for Wayne County residents in need of federal disaster aid as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is slated to shut down two Disaster Recovery Centers tomorrow, officials have declared. The centers, one positioned at the Butzel Family Recreation Center in Detroit, and the other at Wayne County Community College's Downriver Campus in Taylor, will seal their final exits at 6:30 p.m., as per announcements made by the agency on Monday.

These temporary facilities opened their doors in the wake of destructive storms, tornadoes, and flooding that hit the area last year causing significant turmoil between Aug. 23-26, 2023 according to The Detroit News, the Detroit and Taylor locations served as crucial hubs for locals grappling with the consequences of the disaster, offering a myriad of recovery services, even as the clock is now running out with the centers set to close and the deadline to register for federal disaster aid is just around the corner ending on May 8.

Nevertheless, FEMA asserts that affected individuals are not obligated to visit these centers to apply for assistance or to inquire about their application status; support can just as easily be rendered through the agency's helpline. Assistance from FEMA can be received by calling their toll-free Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., where specialists, complete with language translation services, will stand at the ready to assist residents with the application process and address any other inquiries outlined in a news release from FEMA.

For those that might not prefer a telephone call, the application process can be tackled online at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA App, highlighting the ease of access to resources for those affected by the past storms and in need of assistance as the upcoming closure of the Butzel Family Recreation Center and Wayne County Community College locations.