Montgomery, Blue Ash and Sycamore Township residents damaged by severe storms in August can walk into a new Disaster Recovery Center on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to apply for federal aid in person.
The center opens at noon Wednesday and closes at 8 p.m. at Hamilton County Central Campus, 1701 Patricia McCollum Way, Cincinnati. No appointment is needed. After opening day, the center will operate Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the Hamilton County EMA website.
Representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Ohio Department of Insurance, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and Hamilton County EMA will be on site to answer questions and help visitors file applications.
The in-person option adds to the online and phone channels already available since President Trump approved a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration on Friday, Oct. 2. That declaration covers seven Ohio counties, including Hamilton, for severe weather between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22. Residents can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or through the FEMA app.
Hamilton County EMA said on X on Oct. 5 that financial assistance is available to residents and businesses affected by the storms and that in-person applications would begin Wednesday.
What to bring
The county advises visitors to bring their insurance policy number and company name, a current phone number and email, their address at the time of the disaster and current address, Social Security number, a general list of damage and losses, banking information for direct deposit and receipts for disaster-related purchases.
Deadlines
Both FEMA Individual Assistance and SBA physical-damage loan applications are due Dec. 1. SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications have a later deadline of July 2, 2027. Businesses can apply online at sba.gov/disaster.
Storm history
A derecho struck the Cincinnati area on Aug. 11, bringing strong winds that the National Weather Service classified as an EF-1 tornado in Hamilton County. The storm caused widespread power outages, road closures and debris. Flooding on Aug. 13 and Aug. 14 forced evacuations in Harrison, Harrison Township and Whitewater Township along Lawrenceburg Road.
Hamilton County EMA Director Nick Crossley urged storm victims in August not to delay cleanup while the federal review was underway. "Nothing should hamper getting the work done," Crossley told WLWT on Aug. 21. "Just document with pictures, the amounts that you paid, the receipts, all that kind of stuff."
Residents displaced by the storms can call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. General assistance is available through United Way by dialing 2-1-1.
