Federal Emergency Management Agency officials are urgingresidents to call 1-800-621-3362 to register to begin the processof applying for individual assistance following HurricaneKatrina.

“They need to go through that number to apply for assistance,”said Larry Bowman, public assistance officer for the MississippiEmergency Management Agency.

When calling the number, residents will be asked to providegeneral information about housing needs, residential damage,insurance and income. Callers will be given an applicant number,and a FEMA inspector will call later to set up an appointment tosee the damaged home.

Jennifer Gordon, FEMA public information officer, said a requestto open a disaster recovery center in Brookhaven has been made.However, she was unsure Thursday if one would be opened here.

“Those are really designed for places where there’s massivedestruction,” Gordon said.

Residents may also apply over the Internet at www.fema.gov.

Mayor Bob Massengill said computers have been set up at theCo-Lin Mobile Learning Lab next to the Government Complex to helppeople in applying online.

The lab was open Thursday and today from 8 to noon and 1-4 p.m.Today is the last day the lab is scheduled to be open; however,Massengill said Thursday the operation could be open longer.

“If there’s enough demand, we’ll keep it open next week,”Massengill said.