Good news on the FEMA front: RI has qualified for public assistance to reconstruct infrastructure damaged in the recent floods, so the federal government will reimburse us for 75 percent of what we spend (and we’re trying to get that last 25 percent waived as well). This is good news for Rhode Island taxpayers.
In addition, two more FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers open today (Tuesday) in Cumberland and South Kingstown, bringing the total to seven, with centers in Cranston’s Garden City Shopping Center (where Linens ’N Things used to be), West Warwick Senior Citizen Center, Bristol Fire Department, Middletown Police Station, Westerly Town Hall. All are open daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; click here for more information and directions.
Two mobile FEMA centers will begin traveling the state on Wednesday: One will be in the northern part of the state, in Woonsocket, Burrillville and Scituate, the other will travel to Exeter, Charlestown and North Kingstown.
I encourage flood victims to be sure to visit one of the several FEMA centers that have staff—including crisis managers, damage assessors and Small Business Association officials—waiting to assist those affected by the floods.
FEMA grants are available to those whose homes are assessed as not safe or sanitary to live in—and FEMA will find temporary housing if the home is unlivable.
Those who damage was less catastrophic—such as all those flooded basements — are eligible for FEMA loans, with rates as low as 2 percent, considerably less than conventional loans available for these home repairs.
And be safe as cleanup continues; officials have warned that floodwaters were contaminated. A downloadable document, Cleaning Following Flooding Guidance, gives detailed guidelines for a safe cleanup.