UPDATE: Carlucci Asks FEMA To Declare Rockland County A Disaster Area

Update: Wednesday noon

On Wednesday morning, Senator David Carlucci joined several other officials at a 11 a.m. meeting in front of Nyack Village hall. Here's an update on what he talked about:

"I’m going to be in contact with the superintendent of finance and ask them to deploy a mobile unit in the coming days for insurance claims. They did that after Hurricane Irene and had (mobile units in multiple locations)," he said. 

Nyack Mayor Jen Laird-White added that it’s important to do photo documentation.

"I did send correspondence to President Obama and the governor saying that Rockland and Orange counties are a disaster area so that we can make sure we get the funding available," said Carlucci. "Estimates are out there of possibly $50 billion worth of damage in both property damage and lost economic opportunity.”

He added that there will be staging areas coming later to receive claims

“I’ve contacted the national guard. Their resources are thin and are prioritizing by safety and going to places that need the most help.”

---

With 71,000 Rockland utility customers without power and extensive devastation in the county from Hurricane Sandy, Senator David Carlucci (D-Rockland/Orange) asked FEMA to declare Rockland County a federal disaster area in the hope of receiving federal aid to cope with the damages from the storm.   

He also asked Governor Cuomo to deploy the National Guard to hard-hit areas to assist with recovery efforts of local officials and personnel.

“Thousands of Rockland, Orange, and Westchester residents remain without power, retain enormous property damage, are unable to travel to work, and are locked in a state of fear of not knowing how long this recovery process will take,” said Carlucci.  “Hurricane Sandy is the worst storm ever to have been felt by the Lower Hudson Valley, and I am committed to working to ensure we have the resources at our disposal to get us through these trying times.”

In a letter to President Obama, FEMA, Gov. Cuomo, as well as New York’s Congressional Members, Carlucci asked that Rockland and Orange Counties be eligible for all FEMA assistance grants and individual assistance for coping with the natural disaster.