On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Bob Casey convened a meeting with Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Response & Recovery, Elizabeth Zimmerman, and Director Glenn Cannon of the PA Emergency Management Agency to press FEMA. He pressed them to reimburse PA communities for emergency measures taken to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.
FEMA has so far denied requests for assistance despite repeatedly urging PA to prepare ahead of the storm and offering federal support.
Sen. Casey pledged to continue to push FEMA to reimburse the state.
Hurricane Sandy was predicted to have a devastating impact on PA and communities were urged to take every available measure to prepare. In October, FEMA approved Pennsylvania’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration but limited it to direct federal assistance, which does not include reimbursement for the cost of preparedness measures. Failure to reimburse these expenses will detrimentally impact the state and local municipalities, which are already facing budgetary shortfalls while still struggling to recover from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Furthermore, denying these funds may discourage communities from taking crucial preparedness steps in the future, risking lives and property in the event of a major storm.
Senator Casey was joined by Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick
FEMA has so far denied requests for assistance despite repeatedly urging PA to prepare ahead of the storm and offering federal support.
Sen. Casey pledged to continue to push FEMA to reimburse the state.
Hurricane Sandy was predicted to have a devastating impact on PA and communities were urged to take every available measure to prepare. In October, FEMA approved Pennsylvania’s request for a pre-landfall emergency declaration but limited it to direct federal assistance, which does not include reimbursement for the cost of preparedness measures. Failure to reimburse these expenses will detrimentally impact the state and local municipalities, which are already facing budgetary shortfalls while still struggling to recover from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
Furthermore, denying these funds may discourage communities from taking crucial preparedness steps in the future, risking lives and property in the event of a major storm.
Senator Casey was joined by Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick