United Way, FEMA gather community resources aiding in flood recovery
NORWICH – Representatives from volunteer agencies and churches throughout the county met at SUNY Morrisville’s Norwich Campus Thursday to establish a long term recovery plan for Chenango County after the late June flooding. The summit was headed by Elizabeth Monaco of the Chenango United Way and George Betz from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The group, consisting of representatives from Chenango Memorial Hospital, Catholic Charities, The Red Cross, The Girl Scouts of America, Mental Health, and countless other agencies, listened as Betz laid out a plan for collaboration. Betz said after a disaster, the best way to help the community is to work together. He encouraged the group to put together a volunteer organization active in disaster, or VOAD.
“A disaster starts in the community, and it ends in the community,” Betz said. FEMA aids in the recovery, but there are still unmet needs, and that is where the VOAD comes into play.
The purpose of the VOAD is to pool the resources of the different organizations in the community. By creating a long term recovery committee, groups of organizations are able to come together with a common goal. Betz compared the VOAD to a poker table.
“You can have as many players as you want,” he explained. “Each organization can add something to the pot.”
He explained that the responsibility to recover lies with each individual, but the community must help one another. Everyone needs their own recovery plan, but they might need help determining the best course of action. Case managers can be trained to listen and help people apply the necessary resources.
Those resources are what Betz refers to as the three M’s: money, materials and manpower. He said that all of the organizations have something to offer.
“The purpose of this group is to catch people who fall through the cracks,” Betz said. So far, FEMA estimates damages of close to $1.5 million in Chenango County. However, this is only an initial estimate. Approximately 1,108 people have registered with FEMA so far. Betz expects there are many who have not, and the Sept. 1 deadline is fast approaching. Anyone who does not register with FEMA and fill out the SBA loan paperwork, will not be eligible for aid from the organization. You can register at www.fema.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA. Once you register, the SBA paperwork will automatically be mailed to you.
Betz told the group that filling out the SBA loan paperwork does not mean you will have to take out a loan, but if you fail to submit the forms, you will not be eligible for any aid from FEMA.
If you are interested in helping the Chenango County VOAD, the next meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 17 at the United Church of Christ, 11 West Main St., Norwich.
The group, consisting of representatives from Chenango Memorial Hospital, Catholic Charities, The Red Cross, The Girl Scouts of America, Mental Health, and countless other agencies, listened as Betz laid out a plan for collaboration. Betz said after a disaster, the best way to help the community is to work together. He encouraged the group to put together a volunteer organization active in disaster, or VOAD.
“A disaster starts in the community, and it ends in the community,” Betz said. FEMA aids in the recovery, but there are still unmet needs, and that is where the VOAD comes into play.
The purpose of the VOAD is to pool the resources of the different organizations in the community. By creating a long term recovery committee, groups of organizations are able to come together with a common goal. Betz compared the VOAD to a poker table.
“You can have as many players as you want,” he explained. “Each organization can add something to the pot.”
He explained that the responsibility to recover lies with each individual, but the community must help one another. Everyone needs their own recovery plan, but they might need help determining the best course of action. Case managers can be trained to listen and help people apply the necessary resources.
Those resources are what Betz refers to as the three M’s: money, materials and manpower. He said that all of the organizations have something to offer.
“The purpose of this group is to catch people who fall through the cracks,” Betz said. So far, FEMA estimates damages of close to $1.5 million in Chenango County. However, this is only an initial estimate. Approximately 1,108 people have registered with FEMA so far. Betz expects there are many who have not, and the Sept. 1 deadline is fast approaching. Anyone who does not register with FEMA and fill out the SBA loan paperwork, will not be eligible for aid from the organization. You can register at www.fema.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA. Once you register, the SBA paperwork will automatically be mailed to you.
Betz told the group that filling out the SBA loan paperwork does not mean you will have to take out a loan, but if you fail to submit the forms, you will not be eligible for any aid from FEMA.
If you are interested in helping the Chenango County VOAD, the next meeting will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 17 at the United Church of Christ, 11 West Main St., Norwich.
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