Live With the Commissioner and FEMA

1:39 p.m. That's a wrap on the meeting. For more information on FEMA, how to register and the assistance it provides, click .

1:38 p.m. The fire chief said 367 homes were damaged, but that number will likely go up as fire crews are discovering additional damage they had not known about before. 48 homes were totally destroyed and 28 people were injuried during the tornadoes last week.

1:36 p.m. The FEMA presentation is wrapped up.

1:34 p.m. FEMA will go door-to-door to affected homes to distribute the information on assistance. The agency is bringing in more people to help with that effort.

1:33 p.m. The disaster recovery center opening here depends on how may locals call FEMA. Officials encourage thos affected by the storms to call and register with FEMA.

1:32 p.m. The fire chief said anyone who has damage should call FEMA, 1-800-621-FEMA, so the damage can be recorded and officials can begin trying to provide assistance. United Way's hotline for immediate help is 211.

1:31 p.m. The recovery center should open within the next week to two weeks, but FEMA is trying to expedite the process.

Murphy said it would likely be days.

1:30 p.m. Murphy would not be surprised if FEMA call center reps have told homeowners to push their debris to county right-of-ways.

1:29 p.m. FEMA needs to know about special-needs residents and those who have limited English ability so they will be prepared to help those people.

1:27 p.m. Be leary of workers who do not have a distinct FEMA identification badge around their necks. Contractor groups also are claiming to be sent by FEMA, but that's not how it works. FEMA does not send out contractors, who then charge for the clean up work.

1:25 p.m. FEMA reimburses the county 75 to 90 percent for public right-of-ways and properties.

1:24 p.m. Murphy does not know about debris clean up (trees) for individuals, but if a farm has been damaged, those owners should contact the federal Dept. of Agriculture.

1:23 p.m. Eight to nine FEMA workers are in Bartow County. Up until today, there were two. More are coming in.

1:22 p.m. Contractors looking for work with clean-up should let the local EMA know they are available.

1:21 p.m. A FEMA team will also be checking rental properties and FEMA could assists homeowners with those payments.

1:20 p.m. We won't see campers, but could see temporary trailers such as the ones used following Hurricane Katrina.

1:19 p.m. Fire Chief Craig Millsap said the county is waiting on FEMA to assign a manager for the recovery center.

1:18 p.m. If all other options are exhausted, FEMA can help with recovery. Specific examples include automobiles to allow people to go back to work and medical needs.

1:17 p.m. “Quite a few” have already applied for assistance in Bartow County.

1:16 p.m. FEMA does not control any voluntary agencies, and the representatives at today's meeting warn of scammers posing as FEMA agents. No FEMA representatives should have tried to take control of donated goods.

Be careful of scams. Call into FEMA and give them your personal information. If anyone calls you, don’t give them any information. FEMA will not call back and ask for that information.

1:14 p.m. FEMA is looking at sites for a recovery centers in this area.

1:10 p.m. Bring the insurance letter of settlement to FEMA and FEMA decides how it can help further. If not insured, FEMA may provide housing and rental assistance, hotel/motel payments, help repairing the home and possibly replacement of home (which is a long shot, Murphy said).

If an individual was injured in the disaster, FEMA can assist with dental and medical cost, and it assists with funeral cost if there's a death.

1:08 p.m. Murphy said immediately after a storm, charities kick in and assist with immediate needs and FEMA must be invited in by the state.

They ask homeowners, if insured, to settle with insurance companies first, but call FEMA and apply even if insured.

1:06 Michael Murphy, FEMA communications, said FEMA's primary area is personal assistance.

1:05 p.m. “We’ve got a disaster right now,” Brown said.

1 p.m. Three FEMA representatives are on hand with the commissioner and other county officials.