4/07/2010

FEMA in Rhode Island - Getting help for homes and basements

FEMA recently arrived in Rhode Island to survey the worst flood damage to the state in over 100 years. A mobile support unit has been set up in Warwick, RI to help homeowners cope and apply for disaster relief funding.

A site was constructed by the local government to give you access to all the information about flood recovery in the state. This includes where the mobile stations are in Westerly, Cranston, and Westerly, but also how to help, how to get help, apply for assistance, and contact numbers. A link on the page Apply for FEMA Assistance (http://www.fema.gov/assistance/index.shtm) can help you get started on how to do the paper work, where to send it, what to include, and even help answer questions about if you qualify for assistance.

Good news for people with flooded basements
According to the official FEMA declaration, 4 out of the 5 counties in Rhode Island are covered under the declaration. All of these counties are eligible for disaster assistance (Newport, Washington, Kent, and Providence - See map in link for detailed area)
In a local news report FEMA also has a unit that is inspecting basements one by one. This is for completing a visual inspection and report on your property, but it’s also for getting your home and basement in the cue for funds to help install protective measures to keep it from happening again. Rhode Islanders are urged to Register for Disaster Assistance

*UPDATE* 4/8/10:
Bristol County is now included in the RI map on FEMA's site. Now all five counties can apply. 


Massachusetts is slightly different http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=12571 
The western 4 counties and the East most counties currently aren't on the map.  

Related Reading and Links

Local Gov Site for the town of Warwick RI : http://www.warwickri.gov/
Image used from www.turnto10.com 

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