Maine requests Federal government initiate preliminary disaster assessment

AUGUSTA – The Maine Emergency Management Agency has requested that the Federal Emergency Management Agency begin conducting a Preliminary Damage Assessment of the storm that struck the state the week before Christmas, the first formal step toward requesting a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal government.

Nobody was hurt when this tree crashed
through the roof of a home in Raymond 
during the week before Christmas.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

As water levels recede and damage becomes more evident, MEMA has begun working with local partners to estimate the cost of damage caused by this week's storm, which left hundreds of thousands of people without power and caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage.

At the direction of Maine Gov. Janet Mills, MEMA has requested that FEMA dispatch Federal officials to Maine as soon as possible to begin the process of conducting the Federal Preliminary Damage Assessment, in which FEMA reviews and validates damage assessments gathered by local officials.

If FEMA, as expected, agrees that the costs associated with the storm are beyond the capabilities of the state to address, the governor will formally request a Major Disaster Declaration from the President.

Governor Mills and MEMA Director Pete Rogers said Maine residents impacted by the storm can help by reporting their property damage by dialing 2-1-1. That information provided will help the state in estimating the full impact of the storm and request the maximum amount of Federal aid available.

"Anyone who experienced property damage from this week's severe wind, rain, and flooding should report it by dialing 2-1-1. Sharing your information will help the State of Maine request the maximum amount of Federal disaster funds available to help Maine people and communities recover and rebuild," Mills said. "My Administration will use this information and other estimates collected by MEMA to request a Major Disaster Declaration from President Biden as soon as possible, which, if granted will help unlock important Federal funding to support our recovery."

Other state officials concur.

"MEMA continues to work around the clock to keep Maine people safe and to work with our partners to assess the severity of damage left in the storm's wake," said MEMA Director Pete Rogers. "I ask the public to help us in our response efforts by reporting storm and flood damage by calling 211."

Additionally, MEMA's Emergency Operations since has processed several resource requests to support local warming centers and shelters, transportation of supplies, generator transport, coordination with utilities in high-risk infrastructure restorations and public alerting in flooded areas.

MEMA is working closely with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection to identify and mitigate hazardous material concentrations as water levels recede and damage becomes evident.

Last week, Mills declared a State of Civil Emergency for most Maine counties to mobilize all State of Maine resources to assist and support response and recovery efforts and position the State to seek Federal disaster support in the coming weeks.

On Dec. 27, Mills joined State and County Emergency Management officials to survey flooding along the Kennebec River in Augusta, and she received a briefing on ongoing storm response and recovery efforts from Rogers and Maine Commissioner of Transportation Bruce Van Note at MEMA's Emergency Operations Center. <

The governor also visited Skowhegan to survey damage caused by flooding from the Kennebec River and met with local and county emergency management officials to receive an update on local response and recovery efforts.

She has released several heating, food and other safety recommendations as Maine residents confronted the impacts of prolonged power outages across the state as the result of the storm.<