Technical assistance teams from FEMA have begun Preliminary Damage Assessments in eight counties impacted by severe flooding in early August. The assessments will determine if the total amount of damage meets the requirement for federal aid which is $28.29 million. If the damage costs meet the federal threshold, a disaster declaration will be granted and FEMA funding would be available to support infrastructure repair. Assessment teams from the State Division of Homeland Security have toured the damage areas and met with local emergency management officials in the affected counties to develop total damage cost estimates. Based on those estimates, the state believes the total costs meet the federal threshold for a disaster declaration. The eight counties included in the request are: Broome, Chemung, Chenango, Columbia, Delaware, Schuyler, Seneca and Tioga.
