FEMA officials are on the ground in New Jersey

FEMA officials are on the ground in New Jersey but it may be a day or two before they decide where and when to open disaster recovery centers.

For now, the agency is directing those in need to the American Red Cross, which is operating shelters around the state, which sustained widespread damage from Hurricane Sandy.

The FEMA web site has a Sandy page where residents can apply for disaster relief.

Laura Kirkpatrick of the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management said she’s received numerous calls about FEMA relief.

"They haven’t established offices in Monmouth County yet," Kirkpatrick said Wednesday night. "But it’s only been 24 hours since we saw the extent of the damage. We have 262,804 power outages in Monmouth County. That’s out of 282,798 customers in the county."

'We have 262,804 power outages in Monmouth County. That's out of 282,798 customers in the county'
The FEMA web site should be updated within the next day or two with information on local facilities, according to FEMA spokeswoman Becca Wexler.

Federal aid is available for residents in the counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union. The disaster teams are assessing the damage in other areas of the state to decide whether more federal funding is warranted.

FEMA will provide assistance with temporary housing, home repairs and loans to cover uninsured property loss.

To apply for FEMA help, visit disasterassistance.gov or call             (800) 621-3362      .

For information on the Red Cross centers, visit redcross.org