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NJ Office of Emergency Management
Colonel Rick Fuentes Major Dennis McNulty
Superintendent, New Jersey State Police
State Director of Emergency Management
Commanding Officer, Emergency Management

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Mary J. Goepfert, NJ OEM (609) 963-6818 April 26, 2011

NJOEM Conducting Flood Damage Assessments

WEST TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, in coordination with its county OEM partners, has begun Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) throughout the State to assess the recent flooding event. The PDA process is used to determine the impact and magnitude of damage caused by a disaster. It summarizes resulting needs of individuals, businesses, public sector, and community as a whole.

State and county officials will review the types of damage or emergency costs incurred in the impacted areas, and also the impact to critical facilities, including: public utilities, hospitals, schools, and fire and police departments. The team will also assess the impact on individuals and businesses, including the extent of the damage, the number of people displaced, and the threat to health and safety caused by the incident. During the assessment, the teams will collect eligible estimates of the expenses and damages. The process is expected to continue into early next week.

PDAs are the first step in determining whether the disaster is of such severity and impact that it is beyond the capabilities of the State and the affected local governments, and that Federal assistance is necessary.

All residents and businesses that have experienced flood damage to their property as a result of the recent flooding event are advised to contact their insurance company and open a claim for said damages. All municipal and county officials should continue to work with their respective offices of emergency management and gather data/damage reports to be forward to the State for reviewed.

For more information regarding flood recovery please follow these links:

NJOEM Flood Related Info: www.ready.nj.gov/plan/flood.html
NJ 211 Call Center: Call 2-1-1 or click www.nj211.org; Free 24-hour statewide service - putting people in need of assistance, in-touch with people who can help.
NJ 211 Flood Recovery Guide 2011 - http://nj211.org/images/Flood/NJ%202-1-1%20Flood%20Relief%20and%20Recovery%20Guide%202011.pdf
NJ Division of Mental Health Services "Managing the Emotional Consequences of Storms and Flooding": http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dmhs/disaster/#4

 

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