FEMA Grant Extensions for Local Towns and Villages

Long Island’s villages, towns and other local governments will now have a 30-day extension to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “Public Assistance Grants.” A new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is now open in Freeport.

The federal government is taking unprecedented steps – including making exceptions like this application extension – to help New Yorkers tackle the unprecedented challenges posed by Superstorm Sandy. We stand ready to help and are determined to make sure we bounce back from Sandy as quickly as possible.

According to FEMA, the Public Assistance (PA) Program “provides supplemental Federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA Program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process.” 

The original deadline for FEMA’s Public Assistance Grants for Long Island and New York City was November 29. The new deadline is December 29.

Local officials in the Fourth Congressional District needing help with the application process may contact my district office at 516-739-3008.

The new FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Freeport is at the Freeport Recreation Center, at 130 East Merrick Road, and is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. 

Disaster Recovery Centers are one-stop shops for eligible storm survivors to get face-to-face help as quickly as possible. In addition to the new sites in White Lake and Freeport, more than 30 other Disaster Recovery Centers remain open throughout New York to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy. To find the one nearest you, the following options are available: Text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA), and a text message will be sent back with the address.  Also, check out the disaster recovery center locator at www.FEMA.gov/disaster-recovery-centers 

A complete list of DRCs in Nassau County is also available at my website, at www.CarolynMcCarthy.house.gov.

Residents may also call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at (800) 621-3362 24 hours a day, or visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

Carolyn McCarthy is the representative of New York’s Fourth Congressional District. She was first elected in 1996.