MONROE, CT – Devastating flooding in Monroe damaged roads, homes and businesses. The next of many steps in the flood recovery process got underway last Friday.
State Rep. Tony Scott, R-Monroe, joined representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and First Selectman Terry Rooney to survey the damage as they recorded the information.
“There’s been a massive repair effort underway along Route 34 to get the road reopened,” Scott said. “Cottage Street was basically washed down the hill by the force of the storm, wiped out a section of the road, and spilled into the lake. Boulders, dirt, and other debris now sit where there used to be water.”
For now, those agencies are looking at structural damage. The group toured the area of the Lake Zoar Drive-In, Cottage Street, Brookside Trail and Bridge Road among other locations near the border with Newtown.
“We need these agencies to agree that we have enough damage to declare a major disaster,” Scott said. “Issues related to individual assistance will be the next phase of assessment. In the meantime, residents and business owners should report damage and egress issues to the town and fill out the state DEMHS assessment list. No matter how small you think the damage is, every bit helps to get the County to the required threshold.”
Some state roads are federally funded, and the repairs don’t count toward the FEMA assessment for a disaster declaration.
“This doesn’t get any easier,” Rooney said. “Having been in the storm when flooding started to this point assessing damage is a surreal experience. A 1,000-year flood with 16 inches of rain just ripped through our Stevenson area leaving folks in unimaginable situations. I’m out here shoulder to shoulder with those who are collecting damage information. While roads have opened, there could be unseen damage. I will continue to stay on top of this.”
State officials announced a $5 million grant program, which provides up to $25,000 per affected business. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted.
The state reporting link can be found here by clicking on this link.
All respectful comments with the commenter’s first and last name are welcome.
State Rep Scott – 1st Selectman Rooney,
It’s very reassuring to see the proactive efforts you are taking in order to help mitigate this crisis.
Brgds
Sean O’Rourke