For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today traveled to Nassau County, N.Y. to meet with state and local officials and view ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Sandy. Secretary Napolitano reiterated the ongoing support from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the rest of the federal family for communities in impacted states, as response efforts continue.
“Across New York and all the impacted states, our priorities are making sure that people have food and water and supplies, power, fuel, and housing—and we have made a lot of progress in the past few days,” said Secretary Napolitano. “We continue to monitor the severe weather forecasted to impact the region, while working closely with our state and local partners to identify and address needs early. I urge everyone to closely follow the developing weather conditions and continue to listen to the guidance and direction of their state and local officials.”
In New York, Secretary Napolitano visited the South Seaford neighborhood with U.S. Representatives Peter King and Steve Israel, to view recovery efforts, and the Nassau County Command Center with U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, U.S. Representatives King and Israel, and other state and local officials, to discuss coordination among federal, state and local partners on recovery efforts throughout the region.
Disaster Recovery Centers continue to open in the hardest hit areas to provide information to survivors. 12 Disaster Recovery Centers are currently open in New York, with three in Nassau County and two in Suffolk County. Specialists from the state, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors. To find a disaster recovery center location, visit the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers or by mobile phone at m.fema.gov. Disaster survivors may also text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA).
President Obama declared a major disaster for New York on Oct. 30. This action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the Nassau County, as well as Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, and Westchester counties.
This federal assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business-owners recover. Those in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.disasterassistance.gov, by mobile device at m.fema.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA). The number is toll free and will operate from 7 am to 10 pm seven days a week.
For more information, visit www.fema.gov.
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