The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved a federal disaster declaration for Connecticut”™s four coastal counties, with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stating he believes the state”™s four other counties will receive declarations as well.
Malloy said while coastal property owners largely evacuated prior to Hurricane Sandy’s landfall, those just inland did not and so exacerbated the emergency. He estimated “in the hundreds” the number of homes and other structures with significant damage, including those that are partially submerged. Malloy suggested official flood plain maps will need to be redrawn.
“It was bad ”“ really bad,” Malloy said during a 6 p.m. news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 30. “It is extraordinary the amount of damage that has been done to Connecticut.”
There were at least three deaths in Connecticut as a result of the storm, including Easton volunteer firefighter Russell Neary, who died after a tree limb struck him while on duty. A 90-year old Mansfield woman, Olga Raymond, was killed after venturing into the storm, and a 34-year-old Milford man, Brian Bakunas, died while swimming Monday in the Long Island Sound. Milford resident Jeff Kumweide went kayaking during the storm and was still listed as missing as of 6 p.m.
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, some 590,000 people in Connecticut still lacked power. Connecticut Light & Power Co. executive Bill Quinlan said early efforts have focused on working with municipalities to clear roads, assessing damage to infrastructure, and setting up staging areas throughout the state.
Quinlan offered no timeline for restoration.
“Getting out power back remains a top priority,” Malloy said in a 6 p.m. news conference Tuesday, Oct. 30. “Folks, there”™s a lot of damage out there.”
At the close of business Tuesday, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) had given no indication for when it might restore partial or full service on Metro-North Railroad, which lost electricity between New York City and New Haven and which is now undergoing an extensive inspection. MTA said New York City’s subway lines would be brought back online in staggered fashion as they are cleared to resume service.
Malloy said bus shuttles are under consideration between Stamford and New York City.
The FEMA declaration will initiate multiple programs to include:
- short-term rental payments for temporary housing for those whose homes are unlivable;
- grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance to make damaged dwellings safe, sanitary and functional;
- grants to replace personal property and help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or aid programs;
- unemployment payments up to 26 weeks for workers who temporarily lost jobs because of the disaster and who do not qualify for state benefits, such as self-employed individuals;
- low-interest loans to cover residential losses not fully compensated by insurance, up to $200,000 for residences and $2 million for business property;
- up to $2 million for small businesses and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that have suffered disaster-related cash flow problems and need funds for working capital to recover from the disaster’s adverse economic impact;
- crisis counseling for those traumatized by the disaster;
- income tax assistance for filing casualty losses; and
- advisory assistance for legal, veterans benefits and social security matters.
Affected residents and businesses can begin the disaster application process by registering online at DisasterAssistance.gov, by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA).
Applicants who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
The toll-free telephone numbers are available daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. until further notice. Applicants registering for aid should be prepared to provide information on insurance policies they may have.
