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More Than 3,000 Registered At Westchester Hurricane Relief Center

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – More than 3,000 Westchester County residents had registered by Saturday afternoon with the Federal Emergency Management Agency at the relief center set up the day before at the Westchester County Center  in White Plains.

FEMA Director of Media Relations for Westchester and Rockland Counties, Gary Weidner, said the FEMA Hurricane Sandy Relief Center at the Westchester County Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

FEMA Director of Media Relations for Westchester and Rockland Counties, Gary Weidner, said the FEMA Hurricane Sandy Relief Center at the Westchester County Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Photo Credit: Tony Pinciaro
White Plains' resident Dominick Guarno went to the FEMA Hurricane Sandy Relief Center at the Westchester County Center Saturday and found it very helpful.

White Plains' resident Dominick Guarno went to the FEMA Hurricane Sandy Relief Center at the Westchester County Center Saturday and found it very helpful.

Photo Credit: Tony Pinciaro

The relief center opened Friday and will operate from 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. daily, for as long as needed at the center, located at 198 Central Ave..

Gary Weidner, FEMA spokesperson for Westchester and Rockland counties, said more than 3,000 Westchester County residents have registered with the FEMA center.

He is encouraging those county residents affected by the hurricane to register online, call (800) 621-3362 or come to the County Center to speak to FEMA workers regarding assistance.

FEMA is not the only agency at the County Center.

“Along with FEMA, the Red Cross, Social Security, United Way, Con Ed and other organizations are here to provide services to the people of Westchester who need it,” said Weidner, who lived in Granite Springs for eight years and is now a Nevada resident.

Among other agencies providing assistance are Catholic Charities, the New York State Department of Health and the Department on Aging.

Weidner said FEMA has dispersed more than $255 million statewide so far.

Weidner said the state and local governments select the sites for the recovery centers. Based on Weidner’s knowledge of Westchester, he thinks the County Center was chosen because it is a central location in the county and because it is on the bus lines.

Weider, who was in Westchester last year with FEMA after Hurricane Irene, said the county is looking into the possibility of mobile disaster recovery centers. Last year, Weidner said, mobile disaster recovery centers were in use in Katonah and Mamaroneck.

Lifelong White Plains resident Dominick Guarno went to the relief center Saturday after being referred by a friend.

Guarno, who will turn 70 on Nov. 19, said he was without power for nine days before having it restored. Guarno, who is retired, said he spoke to representatives from Con Ed.

Guarno said the relief center is beneficial and the FEMA workers he spoke to, as well as the Con Ed representatives, were very helpful.

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