FEMA to start touring Chenango flood damage tomorrow
NORWICH – Chenango County once again finds itself picking up, or wringing out, the pieces following Tropical Storm Lee and the extensive flooding that occurred across the state.
According to Director of Public Works Randy Gibbon, the clean-up has been exponentially more difficult due to damage caused by storms in April and June.
“The problems just keep compounding,” he said. “Our first goal is safety and getting roads open ... we haven’t had a chance to fully assess the damage and provide an estimate.”
Representatives from FEMA will arrive on Friday to tour the county with public works officials in order to begin developing an estimate of the damages and to determine if they would declare Public Assistance for Chenango County. On Wednesday, FEMA declared Individual Assistance for five counties across the Southern Tier, including Chenango, which would provide federal disaster aid to homeowners, renters and small businesses.
“The process this time is actually backwards,” said Gibbon. “Usually they declare public assistance first, like what they did following the April storms.”
Gibbon said he’ll be bringing FEMA representatives to the areas in the county with the most severe damage and doesn’t believe there will be a problem with receiving public assistance. However, due to the severity of both Lee and Hurricane Irene, which swept across the east coast at the end of August, Gibbon said it’ll be at least a week before they will receive a response.
According to Matt Beckwith, emergency management director, the county has wasted no time in helping residents get back on their feet. Pallets of bottled water have been provided to municipalities across the county for residents whose wells have been contaminated by the flooding and need to be re-tested.
Clean-up kits have also been provided by the American Red Cross so families may begin cleaning their homes and property. According to Beckwith, the clean-up kits include buckets, sponges, mops and bleach. Two pallets have been delivered thus far to Bainbridge and Afton, which received the worst of the damage, and Beckwith hopes a third will be delivered to Greene by the end of the week.
Wednesday, tetanus shot clinics were held in Afton and Bainbridge for workers involved in the clean-up, free of charge, said Beckwith. Today, clinics will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the Greene Fire House and from 1-2 p.m. at the American Legion in Oxford.
Victims of the disaster can apply for individual assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by registering online at disasterassistance.gov.Emergency Management Director Matthew Beckwith said he urges those affected by either Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee to contact FEMA immediately and made clear that contacting a local authority would not count towards beginning the process.
“Anyone who wants to make a claim has to contact FEMA,” he said. “Contacting the emergency management office is not the same thing.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced today an $8 million program meant to assist the victims of both Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene. The money will be available through a grant program that will help cover the cost of appliances lost in the storms. In order to be eligible for the program, individuals must provide proof of being impacted by one of both of the storms and the products must not be covered by insurance or FEMA assistance. For further information about the grant, go to NYSApplianceRebates.com or call 1-877-697-6278.
According to Director of Public Works Randy Gibbon, the clean-up has been exponentially more difficult due to damage caused by storms in April and June.
“The problems just keep compounding,” he said. “Our first goal is safety and getting roads open ... we haven’t had a chance to fully assess the damage and provide an estimate.”
Representatives from FEMA will arrive on Friday to tour the county with public works officials in order to begin developing an estimate of the damages and to determine if they would declare Public Assistance for Chenango County. On Wednesday, FEMA declared Individual Assistance for five counties across the Southern Tier, including Chenango, which would provide federal disaster aid to homeowners, renters and small businesses.
“The process this time is actually backwards,” said Gibbon. “Usually they declare public assistance first, like what they did following the April storms.”
Gibbon said he’ll be bringing FEMA representatives to the areas in the county with the most severe damage and doesn’t believe there will be a problem with receiving public assistance. However, due to the severity of both Lee and Hurricane Irene, which swept across the east coast at the end of August, Gibbon said it’ll be at least a week before they will receive a response.
According to Matt Beckwith, emergency management director, the county has wasted no time in helping residents get back on their feet. Pallets of bottled water have been provided to municipalities across the county for residents whose wells have been contaminated by the flooding and need to be re-tested.
Clean-up kits have also been provided by the American Red Cross so families may begin cleaning their homes and property. According to Beckwith, the clean-up kits include buckets, sponges, mops and bleach. Two pallets have been delivered thus far to Bainbridge and Afton, which received the worst of the damage, and Beckwith hopes a third will be delivered to Greene by the end of the week.
Wednesday, tetanus shot clinics were held in Afton and Bainbridge for workers involved in the clean-up, free of charge, said Beckwith. Today, clinics will be held from 10-11 a.m. at the Greene Fire House and from 1-2 p.m. at the American Legion in Oxford.
Victims of the disaster can apply for individual assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by registering online at disasterassistance.gov.Emergency Management Director Matthew Beckwith said he urges those affected by either Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee to contact FEMA immediately and made clear that contacting a local authority would not count towards beginning the process.
“Anyone who wants to make a claim has to contact FEMA,” he said. “Contacting the emergency management office is not the same thing.”
Governor Andrew Cuomo also announced today an $8 million program meant to assist the victims of both Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Irene. The money will be available through a grant program that will help cover the cost of appliances lost in the storms. In order to be eligible for the program, individuals must provide proof of being impacted by one of both of the storms and the products must not be covered by insurance or FEMA assistance. For further information about the grant, go to NYSApplianceRebates.com or call 1-877-697-6278.
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