President Announces Emergency Declaration For New York
Release Date: December 18, 2008
Release Number: HQ-08-258
» More Information on New York Severe Winter Storm
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The President today announced an emergency declaration for the State of New York and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm beginning on December 11, 2008, and continuing.
The President's action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Albany, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster, and Washington.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison named Marianne C. Jackson the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.
FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
Last Modified: Thursday, 18-Dec-2008 17:56:05