Obama Signs Disaster Declaration for January's Blizzard

The historic blizzard that set the tone for the rest of the winter on Jan. 26 of this year has officially been declared a disaster, paving the way for Rhode Island to collect reimbursement from the federal government.

President Barack Obama signed the state’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration that was submitted in March.

“The state’s Emergency Management Agency and local leaders worked hard to complete their storm assessments and quickly submit our request for federal assistance to FEMA,” Governor Gina Raimondo said. “I am thankful to the White House for processing our request, and I am incredibly grateful for the hard work and the leadership of the Congressional Delegation to make this critical support possible. I again want to thank all of the dedicated public safety officials and employees who helped keep our state safe during this challenging winter.”

The request for a disaster declaration was based on a joint Federal Emergency Management Agency and state preliminary damage assessment cost estimate of $4.7 million associated with the storm.

With the declaration, towns, state agencies, tribal communities and some nonprofits can apply for reimbursement costs for snow removal, storm preparedness, overtime costs and damage to buildings and infrastructure.

Projects to mitigate future damage from similar storms are also eligible.

“During the blizzard, the State incurred damages due to record snow accumulations, drifting snow, and strong winds,” said RIEMA Director Peter Gaynor. “The blizzard conditions posed an imminent threat to public safety, as well as to public and private property, resulting in the need for emergency protective measures statewide. These hazards resulted in high costs to our state and our cities and towns. We are thankful and fortunate that we were able to receive federal assistance.”

Federal assistance from FEMA for reimbursement is requested by a municipality, state agency, or private non-profit organization. Applicants must prepare and submit an official request for determination of eligibility from FEMA.

To view a Request for Public Assistance form, visit http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=2690