FEMA opening new disaster recovery centers, updating hours

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will open new Disaster Recovery Centers in some Tennessee counties affected by Hurricane Helene and will change the hours at others. Beginning Monday, the centers in Greene, Hamblen and Unicoi counties will be open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday. They will be open from noon until 5 p.m. on Sunday. FEMA will also open four more centers on Tuesday in Carter, Cocke, Johnson and Washington counties. The Carter and Cocke County locations are transitioning operated by FEMA after being run by the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The four new centers will be open from noon until 7 p.m. on Tuesday. After that, they will operate on the same schedule as the existing three centers. FEMA reminds residents impacted by Helene’s flooding to apply for disaster assistance before December 2.