The mobile Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) located at the Suffolk National Guard Armory, 2761 Godwin Blvd. in Suffolk and the DRC At Ocean View Senior Center, 600 E Ocean View Ave. in Norfolk, will close at 6 p.m. today. State and federal officials want residents to know that the DRCs in Portsmouth and Virginia Beach will continue to operate in the South Hampton Roads area until further notice.

Residents of localities that have been declared disaster areas can visit any DRC.

The deadline to apply for assistance is Nov. 17.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) toll-free registration and Helpline number is available for those who have not yet applied for assistance, have questions, or, want to check on the status of their applications. The number is 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 1-800-462-7585.

Both the Helpline and registration numbers are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Individuals who wish to visit any of the DRCs that remain open throughout disaster declared jurisdictions in Virginia can locate them by calling FEMA’s toll-free Helpline number at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or TTY 1-800-462-7585 for hearing and speech impaired, or visiting the Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s (VDEM) Web site at:www.vaemergency.com; http://www.vaemergency.com.

FEMA and the VDEM opened the centers so that people who sustained losses and damage as a result of Hurricane Isabel could meet one-on-one with disaster specialists to check the status of their application; learn about a variety of federal, state and local disaster programs; and to get information on how to prevent future damages from severe storms.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

FEMA’s continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

More disaster information is available on the Internet at www.fema.gov or SBA information at www.sba.gov http://www.sba.gov.

Information is also available through the FEMA 24-hour fax-on-demand service by calling 202-646-FEMA.

The Virginia Department of Emergency Management also has an Internet site at www.vaemergency.com.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability or economic status.

Anyone who believes he or she has been discriminated against should contact the Federal or state coordinating officer.