(The Center Square) – After more than two weeks of dealing with are wildfires, and a week to the day after it opened, Spokane County Emergency Management has announced the closure of the Wildfire Disaster Assistance Center.
Located at 3305 West Whistalks Way in Building 9 on the Spokane Falls Community College campus, the center will remain open through 6 p.m. Friday.
“We want to thank all the volunteers that staffed the Disaster Assistance Center along with the agencies and organizations for partnering with us, to provide in-person information, services, and support to those impacted by the wildfires in our area. The Center will remain open the rest of this week during the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” the news release announcing the closure reads.
Any residents who have been affected by the fires will still be able to fill out a Disaster Assistance Center Intake Form online, and are encouraged to do so as “the data collected will be used to justify potential [state and federal aid] programs that may become available.”
Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels touched on the importance of gathering this information for what will like be a months-long, if not years-long, recovery and rebuilding effort.
“This is all information we have to collect to make a case to the state, and to the federal government, to get monies and resources coming into this area to help you all recover to the best extent possible,” Nowels said at a Tuesday community meeting.
Nowels wasn’t the only voice urging residents to make sure they are counted in the disaster relief effort.
“One of the focuses we have today is knowing that we’re not totally capturing the people who have been displaced,” said Betsy Ross, spokesperson for the Greater Inland Northwest Red Cross, at a recent Spokane County Commissioners meeting.
Red Cross is the primary partner for case management in Spokane County.
“You don’t need to stay at our shelter to get the other resources that are available,” Ross added.
Information gathered by Spokane County and its partner organizations over the coming weeks may result in a presidential disaster declaration, meaning millions in federal aid.
