Hurricane Sandy Info - Putnam County

HURRICANE SANDY INFORMATION 

Donations Donate Funds Online or by Check Food Pantries in Need of Food Corporate Donation Opportunities Drop-Off Sites   Updates & Alerts Gas Shortage Update Health Alerts Power Outage Updates Road Closures / Transportation   Shelter Assistance Find a Shelter Near You  Shelters that Allow Pets Transitional Shelter Program (FEMA)

Food/Water Assistance Food Pantries  Soup Kitchens Disaster Food Stamps (D-SNAP) Food Stamp Replacement Due to Storm Dry Ice and Water Distribution Sites Food Safety   Financial Assistance Individual Assistance FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers Disaster Unemployment Assistance Deadline Extensions   Storm Clean-Up

 

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DONATIONS

Corporation Donation Opportunities
Thank you for expressing an interest in donating items to help with the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.  Please send an email to afarrell@uwwp.org  outlining the type of items, and amount of items you would like to donate.  The various local agencies, who are handling these donations, have asked us to give them a few days to fully assess the needs for our communities.  Therefore, a member of the United Way staff will contact you within 3 business days with a list of locations that will be prepared to accept your delivery of donated items. 

Please understand that it is currently not possible for donation locations to pick up your donations.

Needed items:

• Clothes/socks/jackets
• Diapers and formula
• Water
• Non perishable food items
• Blankets
• Garbage bags
• Rubber gloves
• Personal hygiene items
• Pet supplies
• Batteries
• Paper products, etc.

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Gas Shortage Update
Gas stations in the area are now back to normal service.

Chronic Renal Patients on Dialysis: For those who have had disruption to their dialysis treatment due to the storm, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) is advising renal patients in need of dialysis to first contact their dialysis facility to schedule treatment. If the facility is unable to deliver the needed dialysis treatment, patients should call the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network 24 Hour Hotline: 1-800-238-3773 to obtain information on outpatient dialysis facilities that can provide needed treatment.

 

Mental Health Services

Putnam Crisis Line 845-225-1222
The Putnam Rose House Counseling Warm Line - 845-225-7469
For more Mental Health Services Click Here

Storm-Related Counseling: A toll-free help line is available, 1-800-LIFENET (543-3638), to provide confidential, 24 hour/day, information and referral by professionally staffed individuals in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean and TTY for the hearing impaired.

Power Outage Updates

• ORANGE & ROCKLAND (O&R) 1-877-434-4100 Electric / 1-800-533-5325 Gas or Website: http://www.oru.com
• CENTRAL HUDSON 1-800-527-2714 Electric / Gas or 1-845-452-2700 Electric / Gas or Website: http://www.centralhudson.com/
• NYSEG 1-800-572-1131 Electric / 1-800-572-1121 Gas or Website: http://nyseg.com/

All roads are now passable. 

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Transitional Shelter Program (FEMA)

1. Register with FEMA, call (866) 863-8673 or visit website: http://www.fema.gov/apply-assistance
2. FEMA will assess eligibility
3. If applicant qualifies for temporary shelter, than an autodial will go to caller with a website (http://www.femaevachotels.com/) that they can go to for a list of hotels
4. Caller must bring to hotel:
     Photo ID
     FEMA registration ID #

 

There are no shelters currently available. If you need additional help contact your local Department of Social Services.

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Food Stamp Replacement Due to Storm

If you lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to Hurricane Sandy, there is help available. Current SNAP households that have lost food purchased with their benefits as a result of the storm are entitled to replacement benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has agreed to provide current SNAP recipients in disaster designated areas with 50%percent of their October monthly benefit amount. Contact your local department of social services or visit website: http://otda.ny.gov/workingfamilies/dss.asp\ or call 1-800-342-3009.
Click Here for frequently asked questions.  Please note that Food Stamp (SNAP) recipients will be able to continue using their Replacement SNAP EBT card and SNAP benefits to purchase hot foods and prepared food items at authorized SNAP retailers through January 31, 2013.

Distributions of dry ice and water have been discontinued.
 

The Department of Health cautions residents to follow certain steps to determine if food is safe during and following a weather emergency.

• Never taste food to determine its safety.
• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed to maintain the cold temperature.
  
• Generally a refrigerator will keep food safely cold for approximately 4 hours; a freezer for about 24 hours.
  
• Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
  
• Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers and deli items after 4 hours without power.

When in doubt, throw it out.  

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A federal disaster declaration now offers Individual Assistance to residents of Putnam County.

Individual Assistance (IA)
IA is disaster assistance directed to families, individuals, and businesses within a disaster area. Applications can be submitted by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or filing on-line by logging onto www.disasterassistance.gov. Hearing impaired individuals can call a TTY line at 1-800-462-7585.   Deadline to register is January 28, 2013.

A helpline to aid residents and business on how to apply for financial help after the storm.
HURRICANE SANDY HELPLINE 1-855-697-7263 or check website: www.dhses.ny.gov

Federal disaster unemployment assistance is not available to residents of Putnam County.

 

Deadline Extensions

Medicare Deadline Extended for Seniors Affected by Hurricane Sandy
Medicare beneficiaries who have been affected by this disaster and wants to ensure that all beneficiaries are able to compare their options and make enrollment choices for 2013. CMS encourages all beneficiaries to make their enrollment choices by December 7. This will ensure that their enrollment in health and prescription drug coverage is in place for January 1, 2013. Please share this message with your network.

Individuals affected by Hurricane Sandy who are unable to make a plan selection by December 7 can still enroll in health and prescription drug coverage for 2013 by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. Representatives at 1-800 MEDICARE have information available to help beneficiaries review their plan options and make a choice, and can complete an enrollment even after December 7.

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Click Here for Clean-up Information

Spill Reporting: To report an oil or chemical spill, such as from a home oil furnace damaged by flooding, call the NYS Spill Hotline at 1-800-457-7362. For more information on General Permits, please visit:http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/76659.html

• Debris Removal / Roadway Clearing
  
• Buildings/Grounds Cleanup
• Other projects as required