FEMA Officials Touring Madison, Making Assessments

Two teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) arrrived in Madison Thursday afternoon, and are currently touring the town with the help of town officials, in an effort to make an assessment of the town's situation and needs.

FEMA is the federal agency charged with supporting victims of disasters and first responders when disasters strike. FEMA administers the federal flood insurance program and, in the event of a federally declared disaster, can provide "money or direct assistance to individuals, families and businesses in an area whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance," according to the FEMA website.

One FEMA team, after meeting with Emergency Management Director John Bowers and Building Official Vincent Garafalo, left town hall with Garafalo to tour Middle Beach, Circle Beach, North Madison, Neck Road and other areas of town hard hit by Hurricane Irene, Bowers said. 

"FEMA will make a preliminary assessment of the damage and at some point we'll get guidance as to what people can do to qualify for this assistance," Bowers said. He said the assessment effort Thursday was focused on the needs of individual residents in town, not the town's infrastructure, which is evaluated in a separate process.

The second FEMA team, members of the community affairs department, will be making an assessment of the town's roads, housing, and plans relating to schools. That information will be used if a declaration of disaster is made. Members of the team said that similar teams are in surrounding towns making the same kind of assessments.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal told WTNH Thursday that he already is pushing for such a declaration of disaster. "The people of Connecticut are rightly demanding that we receive our fair share of federal funds that should be coming to us," he told WTNH reporter Mark Davis prior to a meeting in Branford with leaders from 20 area towns. "I am going to be pounding on federal officials. We have already begun making calls to senate leadership to make sure there is a declaration of disaster or emergency for the state." Blumenthal told Davis that he hopes for such a declaration within 24 to 48 hours.

To find out more about the FEMA disaster assistance process, you can read this information on the FEMA website.