LUMBERTON — The Robeson County Board of Commissioners on Monday night in a short meeting approved an emergency contract with a national company that will help county officials as they work with FEMA.

According to County Attorney Patrick Pait, the contract is with DMS Disaster Consultants, which has offices in Florida, Louisiana and New York. He stressed that the company would work with the county, not the public, “to make sure we are not missing anything with FEMA.”

He said the county in turn would work with people and other entities as they file claims with FEMA. FEMA provides federal relief money in areas that the president has declared a disaster, which has happened in Robeson County. The federal funds are available to mitigate damage not covered by private insurance.

Pait said that the public can now meet with FEMA officials for help on how to file individual claims. He said FEMA representatives are at the POD — points of destination — sites at local fire houses where food and water is being distributed from 2 to 6 p.m. each day.

Those sites are as follows: Allenton Fire Department, 6815 N.C. 211 East, Lumberton; East Howellsville Fire Department, 1000 Pridgen Road, Lumberton; Lumber Bridge Fire Department, 303 W. Main St., Lumber Bridge; Pembroke Fire Department, 201 Main St., Pembroke; Prospect Fire Department, 4345 Prospect Road, Maxton; Raft Swamp Fire Department, 2809 N.C. 72 West, Lumberton; Deep Branch Fire Department, 3129 Deep Branch Road, Lumberton; Evans Crossroads Fire Department, 3440 Elrod Road, Maxton; Queheel Fire Department, 108 East Rockingham Road, Maxton; Rennert Fire Department, 9896 Rennert Road, Shannon; Saddletree Fire Department, 76 Rozier Church Road, Lumberton; Northwoods Fire Department, 344 Sherwood Road, Lumberton; Parkton Fire and Rescue, 2704 W. Parkton Tobemory Road, Parkton; and Fairmont Fire Department, 421 S. Main St., Fairmont.

Pait pointed out that the contract with DMS Disaster Consultants is characterized as “emergency,” which means it can be entered into without a bidding process. He said the a bidding process will begin for the company that would provide the assistance in the long term.