NYers Affected By Storm To Get Help Filing Insurance From State

MID-HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Governor Andrew M. Cuomo issued an update Thursday on the storm response in the Mid-Hudson Region in the wake of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that hit the area throughout the day Tuesday. Due to heavy damage impacting homes and properties, Department of Financial Services personnel will be staffing mobile command units in Putnam and Orange counties between at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday through Sunday to help residents and business owners file insurance claims as needed.

The Putnam County unit will be located at the Town of Putnam Valley Town Hall and the Orange County unit will be located at the City of Newburgh Activity Center. Residents who are not able to visit the Mobile Command Center can call the Department's Disaster Hotline at 800-339-1759, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for help with insurance-related issues.

"We are continuing our cleanup and recovery efforts with additional personnel and resources to help residents impacted by Tuesday's storms get back on their feet," Cuomo said. "These mobile command units are critical in a situation such as this, where widespread property damage has occurred, and they will remain on site to ensure homeowners and business owners receive the assistance they need."

Additionally, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the state Office of Fire Prevention and Control has dispatched drone crews to conduct building and structural damage assessments in Orange, Putnam and Dutchess counties. The drone footage will help state and local officials to identify impacted areas that are not easily accessible on the ground in order to further assist with recovery and cleanup.

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

At the direction of the governor, the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated for enhanced monitoring with State OEM operations teams. The State Office of Emergency Management is in constant contact with the impacted counties and Division staff are deployed to five county Emergency Operations Centers in the Mid-Hudson Region. OFPC has deployed 35 personnel for debris and tree removal, disaster assistance, and building damage assessments. Resources allocated from the State's 10 regional stockpiles include 50 large generators, 62 light towers, 20 pallets of bottled water and 36 chainsaws with safety equipment.

New York State Department of Public Service

New York's utilities added 1,250 line, tree and service workers from Vermont, Alabama, Canada, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maine and Pennsylvania to their existing base of 4,300 workers for restoration efforts. Crews have been moved to the areas that have had the greatest storm damage, including Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan and Westchester counties. Department staff will continue to monitor the utilities' efforts during the storm restoration period.

The Department of Public Service has extended Call Center Helpline hours today, Thursday, May 17, until 7:30 p.m., and Friday, May 18, from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., as needed, to assist consumers in their storm restoration efforts. The Department of Public Service Call Center Helpline can be reached by calling 1-800-342-3377.

New York State Thruway Authority

New York State Thruway Authority maintenance crews are continuing to remove storm debris and performing cleanup beyond the guide rails of the Thruway system in the Hudson Valley. All traffic has returned to normal. The Thruway Authority stands at the ready to assist as called upon.

Additionally, the Thruway Authority is providing three tractor trailer lowboys to transport light plants to the City of Newburgh and transporting a large emergency generator to the Putnam County Jail.

The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its mobile app which is available for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway, here. For real-time updates, motorists can follow @ThruwayTraffic on Twitter or visit www.thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State roadways.

Department of Transportation

The department continues to have crews engaged in storm cleanup operations throughout the Hudson Valley. Crews have worked continuously during the daylight hours clearing trees and debris from roadways as utility providers clear downed electrical conductors. DOT has also provided crews and equipment to assist counties and local municipalities with storm recovery efforts.

Photo credit: NYS DOT.