SCHOHARIE, NY. – The FEMA deadline for victims of Irene and Lee is here. The window for registration will close at 10:00 Thursday night.
Three months have passed since the August 28th flood. Federal officials say in that time; more than $100 Million dollars has been distributed to thousands of people. Schoharie County received more than $9 Million of those funds. Village residents say though, "normal" is still months away, the federal assistance they have received has helped get them back on their feet.
Shirley Haverly and her husband Gerald have lived in the village for 48 years. They're home was demolished after the flood. They now have a new modular home sitting on its foundation. The couple received the maximum in FEMA aid; a check for $30,200.
"It's very fitting I think for this year, the angel's looking down at ya," Haverly says as she decorates her Christmas tree.
"We had our fingers crossed we would be able too, there isn't Christmas with out a tree," Haverly said.
Haverly says she was pleasantly surprised how quickly she and her husband got the check.
"Have high praise for FEMA. I called on a Tuesday, the day after the big flood." and they called me up on Friday of the same week and an inspector came up on Saturday and said our home was total loss and a few days later we got a letter and the money was deposited in our bank account," Haverly said.
The Haverly's are one of the 1,810 families in Schoharie who registered for federal assistance after Irene and Lee, according to FEMA spokesman Peter Lembessis.
Lembessis says FEMA updated the number of donations distributed as of Thursday morning. The County of Schoharie received $9,628,753 in Irene and Lee relief.
FEMA distributed a total of $149,714,000 to thousands of people for both storms.
Shirley says though the $30,200 was enough to pay for the new home, it was a start.
"it helped, it was better than none." Shirley said.
Lembessis tells us FEMA's job is to get people back on their feet, not to bring them whole again. He says he empathizes with the storm victims saying he knows some memorabilia will never be replaced.
"FEMA is not there to make the people whole, to replace everything, how can you replace everything, memories, [FEMA helps] to give the first step to make their house safe liveable and sanitary," Lembessis said.
Shirley says getting back into a home, hasn't been easy, but she's ready to start making some new memories.
"There were a lot of other things around here to get done, but when you have a family and grand children it's important. And I can't let a flood destroy that I guess, right," Shirley said.
To apply for FEMA assistance call 1800-621-FEMA (3362) or go to www.disasterassistance.gov
The outside of the Haverly's home after Irene
Looking out the back window where the foundation cracked
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