Hamilton County's Disaster Recovery Center will permanently close at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, ending in-person help at that location for Sharonville, Springdale, Evendale, Woodlawn and other county residents still dealing with damage from August's severe storms.

The center at Hamilton County Central Campus, 1701 Patricia McCollum Way in Cincinnati, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday. No appointment is needed. Representatives from FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the Ohio Emergency Management Agency and the Hamilton County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency are on site to help visitors file for federal aid.

Hamilton County EMA said on X that the center's hours had been adjusted to 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily for its final three days. The center, led by Hamilton County EMA Director Nick Crossley's agency, opened Wednesday, Oct. 7.

The closure does not end the application window. According to the county's severe weather page, FEMA Individual Assistance applications must be submitted by Dec. 1. SBA physical damage loan applications are also due Dec. 1, while Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications have a July 2, 2027, deadline.

After Friday, residents can apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or through the FEMA mobile app. SBA applications are available at sba.gov/disaster.

The storms struck Hamilton County during the week of Aug. 11–14. The National Weather Service classified the Aug. 11 event as a derecho and confirmed one EF-1 tornado in the county. The storms caused widespread power outages, road closures and debris. President Trump issued a Major Disaster Declaration for Ohio on Oct. 2, releasing federal funds for Hamilton County and six other counties hit by severe weather between Aug. 10 and Aug. 22.

Visitors should bring their insurance policy number, a current phone number and email, their address at the time of the disaster and current address, Social Security number, a list of damage and losses, banking information for direct deposit and receipts for disaster-related expenses.

Residents displaced by the storms can call the Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767. For general assistance, call United Way at 2-1-1.