Governor Rell: FEMA Teams Headed to Flood-Struck Areas Starting Tuesday
April 5, 2010 – (RealEstateRama) — Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that damage assessment teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be in the field beginning Tuesday to examine the aftermath of severe flooding – especially in southeastern Connecticut – that followed heavy rainstorms last week. Additional teams will fan out Wednesday.
Cities and towns need to return the “Preliminary Damage Assessment” forms, known as PDAs, which were sent out last week by the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. The forms collect data on state and municipal damages and expenses, information that is then part of FEMA’s decision whether Connecticut meets the criteria for federal disaster assistance.
“The damage from the floods was truly stupendous – hillsides broken away, homes and businesses left teetering, ordinarily placid streams become raging rivers full of debris,” Governor Rell said. “I have already put a low-interest loan program in place to help homeowners who have structural damage or lost critical appliances such as furnaces, and DEMHS is working right now with cities and towns to get an early estimate of the losses. These PDAs will be a vital asset to FEMA as they begin their work.
“I am pleased with FEMA’s quick response to this storm,” the Governor said. “The fact that FEMA teams were already here, assessing damage from the equally powerful storms that hit the state on March 13-14, may be a thin silver lining to the one-two punch nature has delivered to Connecticut. My goal is to ensure that any financial assistance available to residents and businesses in the affected areas gets to them as rapidly as possible – not only to help them rebuild and recover but to do so swiftly in these difficult economic times.”
The Governor on Thursday urged residents and businesses to quickly report storm-related damage to their local Town or City Hall. These PDAs from the towns will be forwarded to DEMHS and used to help guide FEMA’s damage assessment teams.
Property owners should first contact their insurance provider to determine whether the damage to their home or business is covered. Uninsured damage and costs should be reported to city or town emergency management or civil preparedness directors.
Property owners should take pictures of damage inside and outside homes or businesses prior to clean-up and repair and should also keep a file with receipts and records of bulky waste pickups, tree removal, replacement items and repair costs (especially uninsured costs).
The goal is to verify that Connecticut has met the federal thresholds – at least $4.39 million in damages statewide and damages of at least $837,000 New London County, $4405,000 in Tolland County, $352,400 in Windham County and $501,000 in Middlesex County – so that Governor Rell can request a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. Costs covered by insurance will be deducted from damage estimates.
If a Presidential Declaration is issued, the state and certain counties will be eligible for “Public Assistance” (PA) – supplemental federal assistance provided to state, local and certain private, non-profit organizations for uninsured expenses as a result of a major disaster. Counties may also be eligible for “Individual Assistance” (IA), which provides financial assistance to eligible individuals and households who, as a direct result of a major disaster, have uninsured losses.
Contact:
860-524-7313
