Federal Help On its way to Westchester

[Guest]

Federal grants expected for flood-ravaged region

By SHAWN COHEN AND NICOLE NEROULIAS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: April 20, 2007)

After a two-day tour of flood-ravaged neighborhoods, FEMA inspectors have all but declared that the U.S. government will help bail out victims of Sunday's nor'easter.

"The initial response from the teams in the field is that we meet the thresholds that have to be met," said Susan Tolchin, chief adviser to Westchester County Executive Andrew Spano. "That's what they're telling us. We expect to be declared a disaster area, and we are hopeful this will come soon."

This would make Westchester homeowners and businesses eligible for federal disaster grants and loans as they strive to recover from one of the worst storms in recent history. Officials in several hard-hit communities including Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Larchmont, Bronxville, Pelham, Rye and Yonkers say more than 3,500 homes sustained minor to severe flooding that resulted in tens of millions of dollars in damage.

However, there are no official damage estimates, and Federal Emergency Management Agency officials refused to speculate how much the final figure may be.

FEMA is hoping to finish its preliminary disaster tour this afternoon. Also today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will tour Mamaroneck, joined by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nita Lowey. Lowey announced she would spearhead an effort to have the Corps of Engineers develop a countywide plan aimed at solving chronic flooding in the region.

The immediate task, however, is getting help to those who need it. To this end, several nonprofit groups met yesterday at the Mamaroneck Public Library to try and coordinate overlapping relief efforts, a task the Rev. Deborah Tammearu of St. Thomas Church in Mamaroneck likened to "repairing the plane while it's in flight."

At least five groups in attendance, including United Way and the Washingtonville Housing Alliance, say they have been collecting money for people who lost homes or possessions in the storm. However, none has designated a drop-off point for clothing and other items because churches are flood-damaged and other agencies say they don't have enough space and first want to determine what is needed.

At the chalkboard, David Currie of United Way of Larchmont-Mamaroneck struggled to keep the session focused.

"We're taking down volunteers to manage the volunteers," Currie said, waving his hands to regain the group's attention. More than half trickled out after an hour of brainstorming on how to organize committees - with no firm answers on the most efficient way to direct donors or volunteers.

Elsewhere yesterday, FEMA had eight teams out assessing the damage, street by street. They will report back to the central office in Washington, D.C., and ultimately require White House approval to get the region declared a natural-disaster area. But they were reluctant to provide any preliminary numbers.

"We're seeing pockets of extensive damage," said Jeff Joseph, FEMA's onsite coordinator.

County officials also said they don't know the extent of the damage. However, several municipalities have released estimates. New Rochelle reports that 700 families are affected; for Mamaroneck, it's 8,000 people. Yonkers says there were more than 1,000 damaged homes; Harrison, 800 homes; Bronxville, 200 homes; the Pelhams, 700 homes and businesses; and Rye Brook, 160 homes.

They say, collectively, that it will cost tens of millions to perform all the necessary repairs and replace lost belongings.

For many, the work has already begun.

The Rev. James Healy, pastor at the Church of St. Vito in Washingtonville, described his church as a "war zone" yesterday as he gazed at cleaning crews that used noisy machines to suction trapped moisture from the walls and hand-held brushes to chip mud off pews.

"Everything has to be pulled out and replaced," he said, moving from the warped wooden benches to the hand-carved statue of a saint that cracked and floated across the church Sunday. "It's going to be at least $1 million, maybe more."

Elsewhere in Mamaroneck, there were hopeful signs. Mamaroneck Avenue School reopened yesterday. Returning to their building, students ran over the nearly dried baseball field and peered past yellow tape blocking access to the basement that filled with almost 10 feet of water.

In New Rochelle, Fire Commissioner Raymond Kiernan said his department was hoping to finish pumping out people's basements today, having helped more than 700 families this week.

Across the region, highways and most major roads have reopened, though some could remain closed for weeks.

In Putnam County, the state Department of Transportation said yesterday that Route 301 between the Taconic State Parkway and Farmers Mills Road will remain closed until May 1 for repairs.

For Karen Christiansen, the washed-out road means she must go north on the Taconic State Parkway from her Kent home to head south to her insurance brokerage job in Somers. Everyday errands, she said, now require looping detours.

"It's like an all-day excursion if you have to get milk," she said.

Meh, double post - sorry!

Edited April 20, 2007 by 66Alpha1

[calhobs 110]

Some more info on relief http://www.semo.state.ny.us/uploads/2007_0...uest_US_Dec.pdf