Coping With the Storm

Los Angeles County Emergency Hot Line

(800) 244-4766

* Los Angeles County

Assessor

Misfortune and calamity (213) 974-8658

* FEMA Registration

(800) 462-9029

TDD (800) 462-7585

This number begins the process of registering for federal aid by telephone. Phone application hours are daily from 6 a.m. until midnight until further notice.

Residents in major disaster areas will be eligible for federal and state disaster assistance programs, such as temporary housing aid, individual and family grants, special disaster unemployment assistance, crisis counseling and the disaster loan program offered by the federal Small Business Administration.

Callers to the phone registration lines may experience busy signals during the first few days of the operation, but program officials said that more phone lines are expected to be made available as the program continues.

* Income Tax Advice and Assistance

Guidance provided in obtaining tax relief for disaster casualty losses, call Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-4059; State Franchise Tax Board (800) 852-5711 or TDD (800) 822-6268.

* Social Security Assistance

Help in expediting delivery of checks delayed by the disaster, and in applying for Social Security disability and survivor benefits, call (800) 772-1213.

* Veterans Assistance

Guidance in obtaining death benefits, pensions, and insurance settlements, call VA (800) 827-1000; California Veterans Affairs (800) 221-8998, (800) 952-LOAN.

* Contractors Licensing

Guidance in obtaining licensed contractors to assist homeowners in repair or restoration of damaged property, call the California Contractors State License Board Disaster Hot Line (800) 962-1125.

* Insurance Information

Advice to persons on insurance requirements, claims, and problems with settlement, call the State Department of Insurance (800) 927-4357 or the National Flood Insurance Program (800) 638-6620.

Volunteer Aid These numbers are for those who wish to volunteer their services and for people who need the assistance of volunteers.

* (213) 847-3125

* (310) 456-4143 (Malibu area only)

Flood victims can obtain food from 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Saturday at St. Philomena Catholic Church at 21900 S. Main St., Carson. Clothing, shoes and other items will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday at Eben-Ezer Mission Family Church, 225 W. Torrance Blvd., Carson. To donate clothing, call (800) 97-HELP-1.

Sandbags Some fire stations in the city of Los Angeles are distributing a maximum of 25 free sandbags to individuals. The Department of Public Works can also refer residents to local fire stations.

* Call (818) 458-HELP or (818) 458-6332, (818) 458-6333, (818) 458-6334 or (818) 458-6335. For more than 25 sandbags, call (818) 458-4310.

* Or call the Los Angeles County Fire Department at (213) 881-2411.

* Fire Station Distribution Centers

* Metro Los Angeles

1601 N. Hillhurst Ave.

1439 N. Gardner St.

2021 Colorado Blvd.

4575 S. Huntington Drive

3111 N. Cahuenga Blvd.

1800 N. Bronson Ave.

4470 Coliseum St.

* West Los Angeles

12229 Sunset Blvd.

17281 Sunset Blvd.

1090 Veteran Ave.

15045 Sunset Blvd.

107 S. Beverly Glen Blvd.

* San Pedro

1331 West 253rd St.

1414 25th St.

* San Fernando Valley

11351 Tampa Ave.

12050 Balboa Blvd.

9411 Wentworth St.

9861 Reseda Blvd.

7777 Foothill Blvd.

8943 Glenoaks Blvd.

4230 Coldwater Canyon Ave.

5001 Balboa Blvd.

5340 Canoga Ave.

4305 Vineland Ave.

5101 N. Sepulveda Blvd.

14430 Polk St.

19059 Ventura Blvd.

21800 Marilla St.

8021 Mulholland Drive

14145 Mulholland Drive

8349 Winnetka Ave.

6345 Fallbrook Ave.

23004 Roscoe Blvd.

20225 Devonshire St.

12520 Mulholland Drive

16500 Mulholland Drive

Utilities * L.A. Department of Water and Power

(800) DIAL-DWP

(800) 821-5279

(800) 821-5278

* Southern California Edison

Call number listed on your bill.

* Pacific Bell

Call 611.

* GTE--Phone service for those displaced by the storms:

Residences--(800) 483-4000 (English); (800) 483-7724 (Spanish)

Businesses--(800) 483-5000

GTE will transfer service to the customer’s new location or connect remote call-fowarding at no charge. For other phone trouble, call 611. GTE requests that you do not call repeatedly.

Flood / Traffic * Call (800) 427-ROAD for information on road closures.

* To report catch basin overflows or clogged street drains, call the Los Angeles Department of Public Works at (818) 458-HELP. Do not call 911 to report mudslides unless someone is hurt.

* To report mudslides blocking streets, call (213) 847-7353. To report trees down or for removal of street debris, call (213) 485-5661.

* To report malfunctioning traffic signals on city streets, call

(818) 756-9418.

Schools * Los Angeles Unified School District

For information about closures, watch KLCS Channel 58, the district’s educational channel, or call (213) 625-4000 (English) or (213) 625-4643 (Spanish).

* Santa Monica-Malibu Unified

These schools will be closed today:

Webster Elementary School, 3602 Winter Canyon Road, Malibu

Cabrillo Elementary School, 30237 Morningview Drive, Malibu

Malibu High School, 30215 Morningview Drive, Malibu

Animals * Los Angeles County--(310) 940-8888

* Malibu--(818) 991-0071

* Los Angeles City

The city’s Department of Animal Regulation is offering assistance to pet owners in the city who need help feeding and boarding their pets and livestock. Call (818) 756-8445 or these locations:

North-Central--(213) 485-5765

South-Central--(213) 731-8281

East Valley--(818) 764-7061

West L.A.--(310) 820-2691

Harbor/San Pedro--(310) 831-2414

West Valley--(818) 882-8800

* The Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is offering free veterinary care for injured animals, two weeks of free kenneling and pet food. Call (800) 730-4226. * Veterinary Centers of America is offering free boarding to all house pets of flood victims. Call (800) VCA-PETS.

Shelters The American Red Cross and the Salvation Army have opened shelters for flood victims in Southern California. All of the Salvation Army community centers in Southern California are open. For information on Red Cross shelters, Los Angeles residents may call (213) 739-4543; in other communities, call the local Red Cross chapter. The Salvation Army can be reached at (800) 725-9005, or call the local Salvation Army facility.

RED CROSS SHELTERS

Carson Park, 213th Street and Orrick Avenue, Carson

Eliott Middle School, 2184 N. Lake Ave., Altadena

Veterans Park, Pacific Avenue and 28th Street, Long Beach

Insurance If you have general questions about insurance matters, such as how to file a claim after a catastrophe, call the Western Insurance Information Service: (800) 397-1679.

Specific questions about your circumstances should be referred to your agent.

* Aetna--(800) 238-6225

* Allstate--(818) 992-6644

* Automobile Club of Southern California--(800) 672-5246

* Chubb Group of Insurance Cos.--(800) 562-4822 or (800) 252-4670

* Cigna Property & Casualty--(800) 421-2471

* Farmers Group of Insurance Companies--(800) 543-5736

* ITT Hartford Insurance Group--(800) 243-5860

* Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.--(800) 526-1547

* Safeco Insurance Co. of America--(800) 452-7117

* 20th Century Insurance--(800) 443-3100

* USAA--(800) 531-8222

Donations * Salvation Army

Assistance and credit card donations: (800) 725-9005.

Mail monetary donations, (checks made out to ‘Salvation Army’ and earmarked as Flood Relief, to:

* Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters

900 West 9th St.

Los Angeles, CA 90015

* Operation USA

Accepting money for immediate and long-term assistance to community organizations damaged in the storms and soliciting corporate gifts in bulk.

* 8320 Melrose Ave., Suite 200

Los Angeles 90069

(800) 678-7255

* Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

Accepting financial donations as well as canned or non-perishable food items to distribute to other charities for flood victims.

* 1734 East 41st St.

Los Angeles 90058

(213) 234-3030

* American Red Cross

Assistance and credit card donations: (800) 842-2200 or (800) 257-7575 (Spanish language). Mail monetary donations, (checks made out to “American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund”) to:

* American Red Cross

P.O. Box 37243

Washington, D.C. 20013

Researched by CECILIA RASMUSSEN, TRACY THOMAS and NONA YATES