NORWICH – More state and federal Disaster Recovery Centers opened on Tuesday in an effort to assist individuals, households and businesses affected by Tropical Storm Lee and the subsequent flooding, according to state and federal officials.

The centers will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and Chenango County Emergency Management Office Director Matt Beckwith said they will remain open as long as long as there is a need.

“They’ll be here until they officially decide the need is not there anymore,” said Beckwith. “Which could be a week, a month or six months from now.”

The Chenango County DRC is located at the Chenango County Sheriff’s Office, 279 County Road 46.

The centers will be staffed with disaster-recovery specialists – in addition to county and state agencies including the American Red Cross, Area Agency on the Aging, Department of Motor Vehicles, Department of Labor, Social Services, Department of Health and others – who can provide information and answer questions about storm-related assistance, officials said.

“Before visiting a recovery center, I strongly recommend people seeking assistance to register with FEMA,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Philip E. Parr in a press release. “Having spoken with or contacted state or local officials does not count. You must register with FEMA in order to apply for help.”

Katie Rose, DRC manager at the Chenango County center, said the goal is simple, assisting applicants and answering any registration – or disaster-related – questions they may have. For those already registered, FEMA officials at the Chenango County DRC will be able to go online, check the status of an individual’s case and provide updates.