The Hyde County Government Center is one of four locations where Federal Emergency Management Agency mitigation specialists are providing home-improvement tips and answering questions related to preventing or reducing damage caused by disasters in the future.

The FEMA advisers will be at the center, located at 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday, according to a FEMA news release. The advisers will provide tips and share techniques for building hazard-resistant houses. Another site is at the Windsor Community Building in Bertie County, 201 S. Queen St., Windsor.

“Most of the information and the free publications provided are geared for do-it-yourself work and general contractors,” said Debra Young, a FEMA media-relations specialist. Free reference materials will be available at each of the four sites.

Among the recovery topics to be discussed are rebuilding flooded houses, flood insurance and elevating utilities. More information about strengthening one’s property can be found at www.fema.gov/what-mitigation.

“Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters. In order for mitigation to be effective we need to take action now — before the next disaster — to reduce human and financial consequences later (analyzing risk, reducing risk and insuring against risk). It is important to know that disasters can happen at any time and any place, and, if we are not prepared, consequences can be fatal,” according to FEMA documents. “Effective mitigation efforts can break the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage.”

As of Monday, 28,181 individual assistance applications from North Carolina had been approved, according to FEMA, and $88.9 million in individual and household program funding had been approved by the federal government, with the majority of that amount — about $61.7 million — earmarked for housing assistance, and about $27 million allocated for other-needs assistance. Housing assistance provides money for disaster-related housing needs, while other-needs assistance provides funds for other disaster-related needs such as household furnishings, transportation and medical care.

Homeowners, renters and business owners who suffered losses or damages caused by Matthew should call 1-800-621-3362 to register for assistance or go online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov and register by downloading FEMA’s mobile app, according to a news release. For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service, the number is also 1-800-621-3362. For people using TTY, the number is 1-800-462-7585. These toll-free numbers operate from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice. Operators are ready to assist people in multiple languages.