After record rainfall, Hochul declares disaster emergency for Suffolk County

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A disaster emergency for Suffolk County has been declared by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul following the record rainfall on Aug. 18-19.

Multiple rescues were required during the storm, especially in the Town of Brookhaven, during the early morning hours of Aug. 19. The Mill Pond dam failed completely, causing six families to be displaced. Washed-out roads included Rocky Point Road, Hagerman Landing Road, and numerous primary and secondary roads were closed due to major flooding, including Route 25A in both directions.

Over 2,000 residents and business owners experienced flood damage in some capacity, and Stony Brook University had to relocate or shelter hundreds of students and cancel move-in day due to the amount of infrastructure damage across campus.

“We are working around the clock to ensure that impacted residents and municipalities are able to rebuild after this devastating flooding event,” Governor Hochul said. “Protecting New Yorkers is my top priority, and I am committed to supporting Long Island throughout the recovery process.”

The disaster emergency protocol would authorize FEMA to provide reimbursement for debris removal operations, emergency protective measures like sheltering, evacuations, search and rescue operations and actions to eliminate or reduce immediate threats of significant additional damage to critical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, water control facilities and utilities.

In addition, emergency assistance will be provided to support homeowners impacted by flash flooding caused by the record rainfall. New York Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) is launching an emergency repair program for homeowners in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Additionally, disaster recovery experts from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services have begun assessing damage statewide to determine the state’s ability to request federal disaster relief resources from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Under the HCR program, homeowners may be eligible for grants of up to $50,000 to fund or reimburse certain qualifying health and safety related repairs to address damage caused by the storm that are not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs. Applicants must be homeowners who occupy the home as a primary residence and total household income may not exceed 150 percent of the area median income.

Earlier this week, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said that he “met with Senator Chuck Schumer’s Office and with our congressional representatives to unlock federal aid for our area.”

Romaine had also called on Hochul to “declare a state of emergency for Suffolk County to begin the process of receiving state aid.”

Multiple sinkholes were reported as a result of flooding, including in the hamlets of Commack and East Setauket, and several state and local parks experienced significant flooding as well. Various first responders’ fire apparatuses were damaged due to the flood response. Numerous primary and secondary roads were closed due to downed trees, and individuals were displaced due to structural damage. Furthermore, building damage assessments found more than 70 structures that had major damage or were completely destroyed.

The Department of Financial Services staff will be deployed to affected communities to provide insurance help to residents and businesses affected by severe weather and will also be staffing a resource center to assist residents and business owners with insurance-related questions. DFS staff will be deployed to the following affected communities:

Tuesday, August 27 – Stony Brook University’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), Room 343, 1500 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Wednesday, August 28 – Stony Brook University’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), Room 343, 1500 Stony Brook Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794. 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

After contacting insurance companies, residents can also get assistance with insurance information regarding policy coverage for losses and suggestions on how to document their losses and safeguard their property by calling the Department’s Disaster Hotline at 800-339-1759. From August 12-30 the hotline will now include extended evening hours and will be open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. to help New Yorkers.

Flood insurance issued by FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is not regulated by the Department. For flood insurance information, contact NFIP at (800) 621-3362 or www.floodsmart.gov.

Additional resources are listed on a press release from Hochul’s office, here.