Today, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded Herkimer County public assistance for infrastructure repairs and individual assistance to help rebuild and repair homes and businesses damaged by Tropical Storm Lee. Schumer personally called Administrator Fugate, urging FEMA to extend this type of assistance as quickly as possible. Schumer and Gillibrand said that this was an important step in making sure that Herkimer County gets the help it needs to recover from Lee.
“The devastation in Herkimer County as a result of the recent tropical storms is unimaginable, and it’s been abundantly clear that the region needs the full support of the federal government to begin rebuilding,” said Schumer. “That’s why I called Administrator Fugate to tell him that FEMA needs to work hand in glove with state and local leaders to make sure our Central New York communities have every resource necessary to rebuild homes, businesses, roads, bridges, utilities, and other key infrastructure. Now that FEMA has heeded that call and stepped up to the plate to make the necessary funding available, we can begin the process of helping repair and rebuild local infrastructure damaged in the storm, and helping local residents rebuild their homes and their lives in the wake of this tragedy.”
“This is great news for families and businesses in Herkimer County in dire need of help to dig out from this devastating storm, and begin to recover,” Senator Gillibrand said. “Now it’s time to put all necessary resources on the ground where we need them to bring relief. I will fight to secure all the federal funding our communities need.”
Through the public assistance program, FEMA provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.
FEMA’s individual assistance program includes range of programs, including assistance for home repair, temporary housing, grants for serious disaster-related needs and expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. With individual assistance, Schumer and Gillibrand said that residents in Herkimer County would be getting help to begin the difficult rebuilding process.