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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, October 16, 2006
Slaughter Urges Pataki to Request FEMA Aid for Individual Homeowners
Washington, DC - Rep. Louise M. Slaughter (D-Fairport), Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee, today sent a letter to Governor George Pataki urging him to request that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provide federal reimbursement to households affected by last week's storm.
"The sooner the Governor requests homeowner aid from FEMA, the better," Rep. Slaughter said. "Right now, families are wondering how they are going to begin paying for damage done to their homes. We need to get the ball rolling now at the Homeland Security Department to ensure that reimbursement funding is delivered to Western New York as quickly as possible."
Two current FEMA programs provide financial assistance to uninsured households that are repairing residential damage. The programs also reimburse residents for their purchases of primary heating sources. However, FEMA can only release reimbursement funds after the State of New York has formally requested them from the Department of Homeland Security.
The complete text of Rep. Slaughter's letter can be found below:
Dear Governor Pataki,
Thank you for moving expeditiously to request federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help supplement the state and local response to the Western New York snow storm. This funding will better coordinate the disaster relief effort and provide valuable resources to our emergency personnel.
It has become clear that residents in the disaster areas will be required to cover the expenses associated with staying safe until power in the region is restored, as well as the costs to rebuild their damaged properties. Fortunately, FEMA does provide federal reimbursement to households affected by major disasters. FEMA's Individuals and Households Program (IHP) helps households pay for damage to their homes not covered by insurance, as well as reimburse residents for the purchase of primary heating sources. But as you know, FEMA can only consider reimbursing Western New York residents under the IHP program after the State of New York has made a formal request to the Department of Homeland Security. I urge you to submit this application to FEMA as quickly as possible. This assistance will provide some relief to those struggling to quickly get back on their feet following this regional disaster.
I stand ready to work with FEMA and your office to ensure that Western New York residents get the help and assistance they need to recover from the storm. Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.
Sincerely,
Rep. Louise M. Slaughter
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