Region may rate as disaster area

Help is on the way.

Approximately 10 federal disaster-assessment teams are slated to begin arriving in southeastern Connecticut this morning to bolster the state's effort to declare Connecticut a federal disaster area in the wake of last week's flooding.

If the federal government approves the declaration, municipalities, homeowners and businesses would be eligible to receive federal aid to offset their uninsured losses and other costs.

On Monday, officials in hard-hit communities such as Stonington, North Stonington, Norwich and Griswold continued to gather as much information as possible about what costs they have incurred as well as damage estimates from residents and business owners.

State Emergency Management and Homeland Security Commissioner Peter Boynton, who toured the closed Pawcatuck River bridge Monday morning, said the information will allow the teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who will be working with state and local officials, to gather the best data possible for the disaster declaration. He said that having such information will allow the teams to immediately focus on areas with damage.

"This will help make our case that we warrant a federal declaration," he said.

While Boynton said he could not predict whether the application would be approved, he said the state would not be making the effort if it did not believe such a declaration was warranted.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Monday that to request a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration there has to be at least $4.39 million in statewide damage and at least $837,000 in New London County.

The towns of Stonington and North Stonington combined not only exceed the county threshold, but the state one as well.

Damage in the millions

On Monday, Stonington officials said the town's actual and estimated costs - including police and highway employee overtime, road repair and bridge replacement combined with damage to approximately 300 homes - would total more than $3.2 million. Costs covered by insurance are deducted from damage estimates.

The Stonington numbers do not include damage to businesses, for which there is a more complex damage-estimate process.

On Monday, six Town of Stonington employees were assigned to call residents who had reported damage and meet with those who came to Town Hall.

In North Stonington, First Selectman Nicholas Mullane said Monday that municipal repairs and damages will likely total between $1.2 million and $1.5 million, including payroll and materials.

Mullane said 10 to 12 property owners had returned disaster-relief paperwork and that he expects more could be on the way.

Griswold First Selectman Phillip Anthony said several hundred residents had filled out disaster-relief paperwork, though he didn't yet have estimates on their damage claims or the town's overall assessment.

Anthony, who had a preliminary meeting with state homeland security officials Monday, said town officials planned to work on the estimate overnight.

Norwich officials haven't yet totaled the city's damage, either, but they said they've received documentation from about 25 residents and five businesses.

Over the weekend, some Stonington residents and town officials had questioned why Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri had already been able to secure a disaster declaration for his state, allowing FEMA teams to begin work in neighboring Westerly on Monday.

Boynton explained that because the flooding was more severe in Rhode Island, Carcieri was able to secure an emergency disaster declaration from President Obama. Such declarations are made when people are in danger and immediate action is needed.

Boynton said Rell had decided to extend the state of emergency she declared after the storm in Fairfield County last month. He said damage from that storm and last week's flooding in southeastern Connecticut will be combined into one request for a federal disaster declaration.

Boynton said the same teams that wrapped up work in southwestern Connecticut last week will now come to southeastern Connecticut.

Brenda Bergeron, an attorney and spokeswoman for the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said Monday that while an emergency declaration is quicker, it does not allow the state to access all the different types of aid that are available. She said the path Rell decided to take provides more categories of assistance for communities, residents and businesses.

Advice to property owners

Rell and local officials urged property owners to first contact their insurance companies to determine whether their damage is covered under their policies. They should then report uninsured damage and costs to their respective municipalities.

Rell reminded property owners to take pictures of damage prior to clean-up and repair and to keep receipts and records of all damage-related expenditures.

On Monday morning, Stonington First Selectmen Ed Haberek, Public Works Director Joe Bragaw, Tactical Operations Director George Brennan and other town officials met with Boynton at the Pawcatuck River bridge, where they explained some of the potential damage to the closed span. Bragaw laid out a large town map on the hood of a police cruiser and showed Boynton the many places in town where bridges were washed out, roads were flooded and damaged and neighborhoods were inundated.

Bragaw said some initial repairs were made in some areas so emergency vehicles, school buses and motorists could get around town, but he said more work is needed. Meanwhile, the Pawcatuck River and Stillman Avenue bridges remain closed, as does Route 184 in Old Mystic, where a small bridge collapsed.

On Monday, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, announced he is ready to support Rell's request for a federal disaster declaration.

Rell also announced Monday that low-interest federal disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are now available to small businesses affected by the flooding.

Small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and certain private, nonprofit organizations of all sizes suffering substantial economic injury may be eligible for a loan of up to $2 million to meet necessary financial obligations - expenses the business would have paid if the disaster had not occurred.

The loans are available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical damage. The application deadline is Dec. 19. Applications can be obtained by calling (800) 659-2955, or can be completed at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.