Hurricane Sandy, New York and FEMA--By the Numbers

What follows is a direct extract from a FEMA news release on the totals so far in how the federal government is responding and really now, assisting in the recovery operation to support New York City (I think this is just NYC).

The big number is $449M for individual assistance.  Yikes!  This is still early in the game and doesn't include other hard hit states and area.  Easily IA for Sandy will be well over $1B by the time it is over.  These numbers only reflect what is being done for individuals and families.  The Public Assistance (PA) for governments is going to be billions and billions more in required funding.  

 

NEW YORK CITY — Since Hurricane Sandy struck New York, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved more than $449 million to help individuals and families recover from the disaster.

FEMA provides the following snapshot of the disaster recovery effort as of Nov. 16:

• More than 204,000 New Yorkers have contacted FEMA for information or registered for assistance with FEMA and more than $449 million has been approved.  More than 105,000 have applied through the online application site at www.disasterassistance.gov, or on their smart phone at m.fema.gov.

 

• 31 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) are open in the affected areas.  These include mobile sites as well as fixed sites, and to date more than 27,000 survivors have been assisted at DRCs in New York.

 

• 1,249 inspectors in the field have completed 71,992 home inspections.

 

• 1,085 Community Relations (CR) specialists are strategically positioned throughout affected communities, going door to door explaining the types of disaster assistance available and how to register.

           

• 20 Points of Distribution (PODs) are open and providing supplies to the affected residents. 

 

• 9 Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs), 1 Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) and 1 National Veterinary Response Team (NVRT) from the Department of Health and Human Services are deployed in New York.

 

• There are 13 New York counties designated for both individual and public assistance, including: Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

 

• The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has staff members at 15 Business Recovery Centers in the New York area to provide one-on-one help to business owners seeking disaster assistance and has approved more than $1.9 million in disaster loans.

 

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is employing 220 long-haul trucks, three tugs and 19 barges to transfer material from temporary storage sites in Staten Island and Queens to the Seneca Meadows landfill in Waterloo, N.Y.

 

• Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.govor via smart phone at m.fema.gov.  Applicants may also call 1-800-621-3362 or (TTY) 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) should call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week until further notice.