City of Rye, New York
Flooding, Hurricanes, and Disaster
Information Website

To report emergencies where there is an immediate and serious threat to life or property, call 911 immediately.

This website was developed by the City of Rye, New York to educate, inform, and otherwise assist its residents and businesses with issues concerning floods, hurricanes, and other disasters.

Flood Recovery Workshop - May 21, 2007

April 25, 2007 - A message from Congresswoman Nita Lowey:

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to announce that on Tuesday, April 24, 2007, President Bush declared a major disaster in Westchester and Rockland Counties following the Nor'easter that caused major flooding in our area. I commend the President for acting so quickly to recognize the critical needs facing our region. This disaster declaration will begin the flow of desperately-needed federal aid. If you suffered damage to your home or business, please see the information below about the steps you must take in order to apply for federal assistance.

As we work to secure every possible federal resource to recover from this storm, please rest assured that I am also fighting to take the necessary steps to mitigate future floods. If you have any questions or problems applying for assistance, please contact my office at 914-428-1707 or 845-639-3485, and we will try to help in every way we can. Please visit my website at www.house.gov/lowey for updated information on this process.

Sincerely,

Nita M. Lowey Member of Congress

To apply for aid, storm victims must take the following steps:

• Contact your insurance company: If you are NOT covered for the storm damage by your insurance company, you may be eligible for federal aid. You will need to obtain a letter from your insurance company saying you are not covered for damage from the storm.
• Apply for FEMA aid: As part of the aid process, FEMA will set up Disaster Recovery Centers where victims may apply for aid or get information about disaster assistance programs. Those centers have not been designated as yet, but I will update you as soon as they are.
• Residents and businesses can register for aid online at https://www.disasteraid.fema.gov/ or by calling 1-800-621- FEMA (3362). Hearing/speech impaired residents should call TTY 1-800-462-7585.
• In addition to having a pen and paper, please have the following information ready for the person who takes your call:
  - Your Social Security number;
  - A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster;
  - Insurance information;
  - Directions to your damaged property; and
  - A telephone number where you can be contacted.

Here's what you should expect after you apply:

• Inspection: If an inspection is required to process your application, an inspector will contact you to make an appointment to visit your property and assess the damage about 10 days after you have applied for help.
• Decision: Within approximately 10 days of the inspector's visit, you should receive a letter from FEMA informing you of the decision on your request for help.
• If you are eligible for help, the letter will be followed by a U.S. Treasury/State check or there will be a transfer of cash to your bank account. The letter will explain what the money can be used to pay for. You should use the money given to you as explained in the letter.
• If you are not eligible for help, the letter will give the reason for the decision. You will be informed of your appeal rights in the letter from FEMA.
• If you are referred to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for help from the SBA Disaster Assistance Program, you will receive an SBA application.

Privacy Statement

Congresswoman Lowey appreciates the opportunity to communicate with you via e-mail. Please note that her office will not provide your e-mail address to other organizations. If you would like to contact her further, please visit http://www.house.gov/lowey/get_address.htm and complete the web form for messages. Please note that Congresswoman Lowey's office will not provide your e-mail address to other organizations.

April 24, 2007: Westchester County has received official notice that an Individual Assistance Declaration has been made for Orange, Rockland and Westchester counties due to the severe storms and inland and coastal flooding during the period of April 14-18, 2007.

Assistance can include 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 from the effects of the disaster.

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (local time) Monday thru Sunday. Residents may also access the County of Westchester website  http://www.westchestergov.com.

Emergency Disaster Contact Information

Police: 914-967-1234 (non emergency number)
Con Edison: 1-800-752-6633
Building Department: 914-967-7372
Department of Public Works: 914-967-7464
Counseling Services: 914-995-5236

Some very important information as to how you can prepare for and respond to disasters can be found on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website.

Westchester County also maintains a Westchester County Emergency Information website. If you have any questions or concerns related to health issues associated with disasters or other health emergency situations, please contact the Westchester County Health Department hotline at (914) 813-5000.

In the event of damage you should contact your insurance company, and maintain records of the damage sustained and any costs incurred to repair or replace damaged property. This includes any listings (description, make, model, serial number), photographs, police or other reports, invoices and cancelled checks, etc. that were associated with the event and recovery after the event. If water entered your home and your electrical and/or heating system was affected, you should have your home inspected and certified as safe by a licensed electrical and/or plumbing inspector. Likewise, if there is any evidence of structural damage (a shift off the foundation, stress cracks in the foundation, etc.), you should have your home inspected and certified as safe by a structural engineer. Home improvement contractors licensed to do business in Westchester County may be found at Westchester County's licensed home improvement contractors website or in the yellow pages.

The City of Rye offers these additional links and documents to assist you in understanding, preparing for, and responding to, emergency disasters:

FEMA Public Service Announcement Video   (QuickTime required)

April 19, 2007 Message from Congresswoman Nita Lowey re Flood Relief Efforts

April 10, 2007 Flood Meeting Documents

Apply for Flood Assistance (FEMA)

FEMA Assistance for Individuals

FEMA Assistance for Business

FEMA Assistance for Institutions

Prepare Now for 2007 Hurricane Season (FEMA)

Critical Incident Stress - Articles and Resources (ICISF)

Last updated 05/18/2007 05:55 PM