(Long Island, N.Y.) The following is a Suffolk County Update including Red Cross Shelters, Suffolk Disaster Housing Taskforce and FEMA Temporary Housing Rental Subsidy Increase.
NEWEST INFORMATION BELOW INCLUDES:
- Consolidating American Red CrossShelters;
- Announcing New Suffolk Disaster Housing Taskforce
- FEMA Temporary Housing Rental Subsidy Increase.
AMERICAN RED CROSS SHELTERS
The following Red Cross Shelters will remain open this evening, November 8, 2012. HOWEVER, three are slated to be consolidated at St. Joseph’s College as of Friday, November 9, 2012 at 8:00 A.M. After 8:00 A.M. tomorrow, only the shelters at St. Joseph’s College and the Village Green Center will remain open.
[Please do NOT call the centers directly. If you need additional information please call the American Red Cross directly at 1 (877) 733-2767]
SPECIAL NEEDS: For those those who require special assistance or limited skilled care during sheltering, please call (631) 852 – 4677 to arrange for appropriate shelter placement.
Remaining Open After Tonight
- St Joseph’s College-155 West Roe Blvd, (Sunrise and Waverly Rd.) Patchogue, NY
- Village Green Center-423 Park Ave., Huntington, NY
Consolidated at St. Joseph’s College As of Tomorrow
- North Babylon High School –1 Phelps Lane, North Babylon (Closing 11/9)
- Sachem Central Teachers Association (Formally known as the Sachem Central District Office)-245 Union Ave., Holbrook, NY (Closing 11/9)
- William Floyd HS-240 Mastic Beach Rd., Mastic Beach, NY (Closed 11/9)
FEMA
Countywide Housing Taskforce Established
In collaboration with FEMA, County Executive Bellone has established a Countywide Housing Taskforce that will identify local housing needs for individuals and families impacted by the disaster and coordinate with available housing resources.
FEMA Increases Rental Assistance Subsidy
In addition, as part of the effort to ensure that families and individuals get the support they need, FEMA has increased the amount of rental assistance that it may provide to eligible disaster survivors in New York and New Jersey, including Suffolk County. Rental support, previously based on existing HUD Fair Market Rates (FMR)for fiscal year 2013 has been increased 25 percent. This increased rental subsisdy is expected to make additional rental resources in effected areas available for temporary housing for disaster effected families.
Here are the FMR for fiscal year 2013, which are based on family size, along with the increases as per 25% increase announced by FEMA.
- 1 bedroom: $1,285 increased to $1,606
- 2 bedroom: $1,583 increased to $1,978
- 3 bedroom: $2,058 increased to $2,572
- 4 bedroom: $2,370 increased to $2,962
Important FEMA Information
1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
What Information Do I Need to Apply?
Whether applying online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov from your computer or smartphone, or over the phone through a FEMA call center, you should have a pen and paper and the following information ready:
- Your Social Security number
- Current and pre-disaster address
- A telephone number where you can be contacted
- Insurance information
- Total household annual income
- A routing and account number from your bank (only necessary if you want to have disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account) your bank routing number is located on the lower left side of your bank checks immediately before your account number.
- A description of your losses that were caused by the disaster
After you’ve completed your application for assistance, you will be given a FEMA application number. Write down this number and keep it for future reference.
In order to be eligible for FEMA Rental Assistance you must answer “yes” to when asked if you wan to relocate. Note, relocation can be many things, including placing a trailer on your own property for temporary housing.
FEMA Disaster Assistance Centers
A Disaster Recovery Center is a readily accessible facility or mobile office where applicants may go for information about FEMA or other disaster assistance programs, or for questions related to your case.
FEMA representatives are on hand to assist residents in filling out FEMA applications, answer any questions and provide lists of resources. There are also Small Business
representative, as well as County representatives from the offices of the Department of Health, Department of Social Services, Labor Department, Transitional Housing, Economic Development.
- H. Lee Dennison – 100 Vet’s Highway, Hauppauge, NY-9:00-7:00pm
- Mastic Beach Rec Center – 5 Herkimer St, Mastic Beach, NY-9:00-7:00PM
Suffolk County Small Business Assistance
Small businesses needing recovery assistance should contact the Suffolk County Department of Labor (SCDOL) at (631) 853 – 6600. Through the SCDOL and Department of Economic Development & Planning, the County is hosting Small Business Assistance Recovery Centers at SCDOL offices in Hauppauge and Riverhead.Hours North County Complex/9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. & Riverhead SCDOL/9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Health Update: Carbon Monoxide Dangers (please see attached brochure) [Español]
Sandy has caused power outages that has prompted people to use devices that produce carbon monoxide (CO), an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that is highly poisonous. If not handled correctly, devices of this kind can lead to (CO) exposure and serious illness and even death. Please take the following precautions to help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning:
- Do not burn charcoal or gas grills inside a house, garage, vehicle, tent or fireplace.
- Portable generators can produce high levels of carbon monoxide (CO) very quickly.
- ALWAYS locate the unit outdoors on a dry surface, away from doors, windows, vents and air conditioning equipment that could allow CO to come indoors.
- NEVER use a generator indoors, including in homes, garages, basements, crawl spaces, or other enclosed or partially enclosed areas, even with ventilation.
- Follow instructions that come with the generator.
- If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT DELAY. If you have a poisoning emergency, call 1(800) 222-1222 and you will be directed to the nearest poison control center. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911 immediately.
Department of Health Services (DHS) Update on Food Safety
Electric power has been restored to large areas of the County, especially in commercial districts, and a rough estimate is that more than 95% of affected food establishments have discarded foods and restocked, and are operating normally. Health inspectors have conducted approximately 2500 emergency assessments of food establishments in the aftermath of Storm Sandy.
Food service establishments that were closed when inspectors visited the establishments received “embargo” notices on their front doors and were required to contact DHS to report that food had been discarded and fresh food was brought in before being permitted to reopen.
When dining out, customers should feel free to ask if the food is fresh and if power has been restored or if the establishment is or has been operating with a generator.
In addition, inspections were conducted Nov. 4 at temporary emergency food service and temporary housing locations throughout the county, including three American Red Cross sites in Mastic, Hauppauge and Riverhead (providing food), a Southern Baptist Disaster Relief site in Deer Park (preparing food), and two locations in Shirley and East Hampton set up to feed and house transient utility workers. Each of these sites has been visited at least twice, and will be visited on a daily basis for as long as they continue to serve food, as will any additional emergency temporary feeding locations that we become aware of. No sanitary issues were found at these locations. Furthermore, inspectors are providing food safety education as needed to volunteers at the feeding locations.
RED CROSS MEAL DISTRIBUTION CENTERS
Meals are being served 11:00 a.m. and Dinner from 4:00 p.m.
- Dennison Building in Hauppauge, 100 Vet’s Highway, Hauppauge
- Riverhead County Center 210 Center Drive, Riverhead
- Mastic Fire House, 1088 Mastic Road, Mastic
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