×

Senators Ask FEMA To Finish Assessments

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand are asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency to expediently complete Preliminary Damage Assessments for both public assistance and individual assistance in 18 counties across Upstate New York after severe storms Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

Specifically, New York state requested assessments for public assistance in Chautauqua, Chenango, Clinton, Cortland, Erie, Essex, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Oneida, Otsego, Saratoga, Tioga and Warren Counties, as well as for individual assistance in Erie, Essex, Hamilton, Herkimer and Oneida Counties.

“Just two weeks ago, our state, from one corner to the other, saw severe damage after being ravaged by heavy rain, flooding and tempestuous winds. It is absolutely critical that we get these communities the aid they need and the first step is for FEMA to prioritize this damage and to complete preliminary damage assessments immediately,” Schumer said. “This immense damage will total tens of millions of dollars in costs suffered and demands swift help from the feds to repair. FEMA needs to make these assessments the top priority in the nation and complete these PDAs as soon as humanly possible so that counties across the state can continue recovering and rebuilding.”

During this period, 12 counties received at least 3 inches of rain, which is nearly a month’s worth in most Upstate areas, and 27 counties received flood warnings and flash flood warnings. Furthermore, winds blew between 60 and 70 miles per hour, knocking down countless trees, destroying private property and leaving hundreds of thousands of Upstate New Yorkers without power.

“Communities all across Upstate New York are still suffering from the extensive damage that the Halloween storms caused. The federal government has a responsibility to assist in the recovery efforts, and the first step to doing just that is ensuring that FEMA completes preliminary damage assessments as quickly as possible,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With 18 counties in our state requesting help, and with the estimated damage costs of these storms reaching tens of millions of dollars, our communities can’t afford to wait. I am urging FEMA to prioritize the recovery of our communities to provide them with the relief that they need.”

After any severe storm, the first step in the federal disaster declaration process is for the state to request a Preliminary Damage Assessment, during which FEMA representatives join state, local, and other officials to survey damage across storm-impacted counties to help determine whether the cost of the disaster meets the criteria for a federal disaster declaration. If a disaster declaration is declared, grant assistance would be made available to state and local governments, as well as certain non-profit organizations, to reimburse costs incurred for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. This funding is available on a cost-sharing basis; FEMA generally covers 75 percent of the eligible costs for permanent and emergency work.

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act authorizes the president to issue “major disaster” or “emergency” declarations before or after catastrophes occur.

The decision to issue a disaster declaration is at the discretion of the president, and must be requested by the governor of the state. These declarations unlock federal aid through FEMA that is broken into two broad areas: Individual Assistance (IA) that aids families and individuals, and Public Assistance (PA) that is mainly for emergency work such as debris removal and permanent repairs to infrastructure. When assessing the degree of PA damage, FEMA considers six factors: estimated cost of the assistance, localized impact, insurance coverage, hazard mitigation, recent disaster, and programs of other federal assistance. Regarding the cost, FEMA has certain thresholds that have to be met to qualify for PA specific to the state and the counties in question.

For New York, the current PA threshold for the state is a little less than $30 million, which each county must experience $3.84 of damager per capita in FY 2020.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today