Time running out on disaster recovery office

The Disaster Recovery Center the government opened in Des Plaines after September's flooding really wants to help you, but time is running out.

Potential applicants for help with damage from the drenching, Hurricane Ike-related rain shouldn't let fears about socio-economic or citizenship status, or difficulties with the English language, be obstacles, said Federal Emergency Management Agency spokeswoman Kim Anderson.

Several groups of noncitizens qualify for aid, including "green card" holders, and a noncitizen can apply on behalf of a child who is a citizen without the parent listing his or her own status.

"Let us worry about whether you qualify," she said, adding the office will bring in translators for any language, including Spanish, Polish, Arabic and Hebrew.

The center, at 1486 Miner St., along with ones at the DuPage County Complex in Wheaton and on Chicago's Northwest Side, will close for good at 6 p.m. Saturday. Help still will be available by phone at (800) 621-3362 or on the Web at fema.gov.

Through Sunday, FEMA had 12,000 people register for assistance in Illinois, with 10,500 of those in Cook County. In Des Plaines, 138 people had visited the recovery center in person. Anderson said the office can assist people in understanding and filling out paperwork.

After Saturday, the centers will reopen from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday as Small Business Administration Disaster Loan Outreach Centers.

At Monday's Des Plaines City Council meeting, staff reviewed the city's performance in handling the flood. City Manager Jason Bajor said steps already are being taken to improve weekend call-out procedures for public works personnel and to look at alternatives for getting information to people lacking utility service. Aldermen, while generally agreeing the staff did an excellent job, asked for a chance to provide feedback to staff on comments they received from residents.

Residents' biggest complaint at the meeting was motorists took flooded side streets around barricaded main streets, creating wakes that aggravated water damage.

"We had cars hydroplaning down the streets for fun," said John Milstead, who recommended the appointment of block captains to help control such problems.