NY helps flood victims in Suffolk County – NBC New York (47)

NEW YORK – New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency for Suffolk County on Long Island due to historic flooding of businesses, homes and institutions after the the highest rains occurred on August 18 and 19.

Extremely heavy rains and flash floods caused several rescues, severely damaged roads, road closures, dam failures and flooding of residences and buildings that required evacuation, the governor said.

The flood was so great that the National Weather Service declared the first flood emergency in Suffolk County history, posing an immediate threat to human safety. This event was a once in 1000 year rainfall event for the area it affected.

More than 2,000 residents and business owners suffered some form of damage from the flooding, and Stony Brook University had to evacuate or house hundreds of students and cancel move-in day entirely on because of the damage done to the entire campus infrastructure.

“We are working around the clock to ensure that affected residents and municipalities can rebuild after this devastating flood,” said Governor Hochul. “Protecting New Yorkers is my priority and I am committed to supporting Long Island through the recovery process. “

With this, New York will provide emergency assistance to assist homeowners affected by flooding caused by higher water levels. New York Homes and Community Renewal is launching an emergency repair program for homeowners in Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Under this program, homeowners may qualify for grants of up to $50,000 to fund or reimburse certain health and safety-related repairs to address storm damage not covered by insurance or relief programs another. Applicants must be homeowners who live in the home as their primary residence and whose gross household income cannot exceed 150 percent of the median income of area

The program will be administered by local partners who will work directly with affected homeowners and assist them with insurance claims, the repair and rebuild process, and reimbursement requests.

How do I apply for the program?

Homeowners who would like to be notified when applications open for the New York Homes and Community Renewal program You can fill out this form.

What other help will be provided?

Department of Financial Services staff will be deployed to affected communities to provide insurance assistance to residents and businesses affected by the severe weather and will also work in a resource center to assist residents and business owners to help with insurance related questions. DFS staff will be dispatched to the following affected communities:

• Tuesday 27 August: Stony Brook University Center of Excellence in Information and Wire Technology (CEWIT), Room 343, 1500 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, August 28: Stony Brook University Center of Excellence in Information and Wire Technology (CEWIT), Room 343, 1500 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

After contacting insurance companies, residents can also get help with insurance information regarding policy coverage for losses and tips on how to report the loss and protect their property by calling The Department’s Emergency Line at 800-339-1759. From August 12 to 30, the hotline will now include extended evening hours and will be open weekdays from 8:30 am to 8:00 pm to help New Yorkers.

Flood insurance is not issued by FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by the Department. For information about flood insurance, contact NFIP at (800) 621-3362 or www.floodsmart.gov.

The Democrat also announced that she will submit a federal Emergency Declaration request to President Biden to support response and recovery operations in Suffolk County. A federal Emergency Declaration would authorize FEMA to provide compensation for debris removal operations, emergency protective measures such as shelters, evacuations, search and rescue operations, and actions to eliminate or reduce immediate threats of major damage as well as -structure such as roads, bridges, water. control facilities and resources.

Other suggestions

• File requests quickly: Homeowners who have suffered property loss are urged to file insurance claims with their insurers promptly and as soon as possible after the loss. It is important to provide policy numbers, if possible, and all relevant information about the loss. To better document losses, homeowners should take photos or videos that show the extent of the losses before cleaning up the damage.
• Make necessary repairs: Homeowners should protect their property from further damage after a loss, but should only make repairs necessary to prevent further property damage, such as broken window coverings. No permanent repairs should be made until insurers have investigated the losses.
• Keep records of conversations with insurance agents: Homeowners should fully cooperate with their insurers and keep a log of all conversations with insurance agents, including the names of the agents, as well as the times and dates of each call. or visit. They should also follow up in writing with representatives to document their understanding of the discussions they have had with them.
• Inventory of your belongings– Give your insurer a detailed room-by-room inventory of personal items and damaged property. Include receipts, such as credit card statements or other documents that show the value of the items.