The county of Okaloosa and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) announced on Tuesday the opening of two Multi-Agency Resource Centers (MARC) to assist residents, families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations impacted by Hurricane Isaias, according to the bulletin from the county's Emergency Operations Center.
The two assistance points will start operating this Wednesday, October 14 with reduced hours from 1:00 PM to 7:00 PM, local time of the Panhandle (central zone). Starting Thursday, the 15th, until October 24, both locations will operate from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM daily.
The first location is at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, Hall A, located at 1250 Miracle Strip Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548.
The second location is the Crestview Community Center, at 1446 Commerce Dr, Crestview, FL 32539.
These centers are open to anyone, families, businesses, or nonprofit organizations that have suffered damages from the hurricane.
They will gather resources from state public agencies and organizations to offer guidance on financial assistance, volunteering, potential tarps for damaged roofs, and debris cleanup, depending on availability.
Among the entities participating are Legal Services of North Florida, 211 Northwest Florida, and various state departments of Florida. The bulletin does not detail documentation requirements, immigration eligibility, or financial assistance amounts.
These MARC centers are separate facilities from the insurance assistance point already operational at the Morgan Sports Complex in Destin. That hub, open since October 11, has a unique focus on handling insurance claims and operates on a different schedule and location.
Isaías made landfall near Destin as a Category Two hurricane on October 9, after prompting mandatory evacuations in coastal zones A and B of the county.
The impact caused massive power outages, the closure of all three county airports, and the suspension of classes, which will resume this Wednesday.
Those in need of guidance regarding basic necessities such as food, water, medication, or shelter can call 211 (or 855-420-8689) in Northwest Florida, available 24 hours a day. SNAP beneficiaries who lost food have until October 19 to request a replacement on MyACCESS.
The county recommends checking for possible changes in schedules or services directly on the Emergency Operations Center portal before visiting either of the two locations.
Related videos:
Filed under: