Federal aid for Ida damage OK’d for Northampton County. Warren County help center opens.

Individuals, households and small businesses in Northampton County affected by the remnants of Hurricane Ida may now apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Gov. Tom Wolf on Friday night added Northampton to the list of Pennsylvania counties under a federal major disaster declaration where individual assistance is available following the deadly storm, joining Bedford, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York counties. All 67 counties statewide are eligible for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program aimed at reducing or eliminating risk to people and property from future disasters.

“This terrible storm had a significant impact on the entire commonwealth. Thanks to the thorough work of state, federal and local officials to assess damages, more counties are now eligible for much-needed federal assistance,” Wolf said in a statement. “As Pennsylvanians continue to recover from the storm’s impact, this financial support will undoubtedly help even more individuals and households.”

In New Jersey, FEMA on Friday announced the opening Saturday of a Disaster Recovery Center in Warren County to help residents affected by Ida. At the center in the Franklin Township Municipal Building, 2093 Route 57, representatives from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be available to explain disaster assistance programs, answer questions about written correspondence and provide literature about repairs and rebuilding to make homes more disaster resistant.

The DRC is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Due to COVID-19, face coverings are required.

FEMA’s Hunterdon County DRC is at the Union Fire Co. No. 1, 230 N. Main St. in Lambertville.

For other Disaster Recovery Centers, FEMA has a locator: egateway.fema.gov/ESF6/DRCLocator to find the nearest one. The closest to the Lehigh Valley open as of Saturday is at the Montgomery County Community College Health Science building, 340 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania.

Wolf says that in the coming days, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) will be working with FEMA and county governments to organize and open additional Disaster Recovery Centers in impacted communities. FEMA will have staff available at these centers to assist residents with the appropriate documents and expedite the process of obtaining recovery aid. More information is available at PEMA.pa.gov/Ida.

Wolf urged individuals in the declared counties who suffered property damage or loss as a direct result of the remnants of Ida to register with FEMA and apply for disaster assistance.

“The impact of this disaster will be felt for years to come,” stated PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “Getting Individual Assistance to survivors will speed up the recovery process to restore some sense of normalcy in these communities.”

Impacted residents of Bedford, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia and York counties may register with FEMA online at disasterassistance.gov, through the FEMA app, or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (FEMA), or TTY 800-462-7585. Helpline services are available seven days a week.

FEMA urges those applying for assistance to have the following information readily available:

• A current phone number where you can be contacted.
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
• Your Social Security number, if available.
• A general list of damage and losses.
• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

More information about FEMA’s support for Pennsylvania’s recovery is available at fema.gov/disaster/4618. In New Jersey, visit fema.gov/disaster/4614.

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Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com.