CT Seeks Immediate Aid From Feds For Isaias Recovery

CONNECTICUT — Gov. Ned Lamont has reached out to Uncle Sam for financial assistance to help repair the statewide damage from Tropical Storm Isaias.

In a letter to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, the governor requested the president declare an emergency for all Connecticut counties and tribal nations. Earlier in the day, Lamont declared a state of emergency, a necessary precursor for the federal aid.

"Tropical Storm Isaias came through the State fast and furious during the day on August 4, leaving over 700,000 of our utility customers without power," Lamont wrote in his letter to the president. "It is anticipated that, due to the statewide and devastating scope of the damage, full restoration may take a week or more."

Accompanying the letter was a form requesting the declaration via the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

At least one death and five serious injuries have been reported as a result of the storm, Lamont said in the letter.

The governor said he anticipates he will be looking for FEMA to perform a preliminary damage assessment — a precursor to a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration. For the interim, however, Lamont requested "direct federal assistance to aid in the emergency procurement of resources necessary to maintain and restore public safety during this crisis."

Lamont enumerated a list of Isaias-initiated ills, which included cell towers losing capabilities, four correctional facilities and 31 public water systems operating on generator power, and 11 National Guard facilities managing without power. About half of the Department of Transportation's 300 cameras across the state no longer work, according to Lamont, and MetroNorth Rail has taken a beating with substantial damages, debris on the rails, and broken switches.

See related: CT Power Outages Town-By-Town: 640,000+ Without Power As Of This Morning

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