Governor Hochul Provides Updates as Communities Begin Recovery Process Following Storms Related to Remnants of Debby

Governor Hochul Provides Updates as Communities Begin Recovery Process Following Storms Related to Remnants of Debby

Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the State's response to the severe storms associated with the remnants of Debby that affected communities statewide on Friday. Yesterday, the Governor declared a statewide State of Emergency and deployed more than 120 members of the National Guard to provide assistance. Relatively clear weather is expected over the next few days and will help expedite the clean-up.

"New York remains under a statewide State of Emergency, and my administration stands ready to support impacted communities as they continue to clean up and recover from the storms caused by the remnants of Debby," Governor Hochul said. "State agencies have teams on the ground helping to clear damage and we are working with our local partners as they begin damage assessments. It is important for New Yorkers to remain vigilant as flooding remains a risk in some areas of the State."

Yesterday, four to six inches of heavy rainfall impacted counties from Steuben and Allegany counties and northeast through St. Lawrence and Franklin counties with flash flooding in numerous locations. Significant flooding occurred in St. Lawrence County. Severe thunderstorms and strong winds also impacted the eastern half of the State, which caused widespread power outages. An EF-0 tornado touched down in New Paltz, bringing the total number of tornadoes in New York State this year to 27.

Flood warnings remain in effect for St. Lawrence, Franklin, Broome and Delaware Counties through today due to river flooding. Most flooding has already crested and is expected to recede below flood levels later today or overnight.

American Red Cross volunteers have opened a shelter in Steuben County at the Corning-Painted Post High School to help those affected by the storms and will be visiting residential homes in the coming days to assess damage and provide qualifying individuals with resources and financial assistance.

New York State agencies are providing the following to support the response to these storms:

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The State Emergency Operations Center in Albany is activated to support local governments' requests for assistance state stockpiles are ready to deploy resources as needed. DHSES has provided communications support to first responders and the State's swift water rescue teams have responded to requests for assistance in Canton and Steuben County. The State Fire Operations Center is activated and can support state agency operations as well as handle requests submitted via the State Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan. DHSES disaster recovery staff are in contact with local partners in impacted communities help them begin assessment of damage to infrastructure, homes and businesses. The Damage Assessment Response Team has been engaged to help perform on-site damage assessments. Learn more about flood safety tips.

Department of Transportation
The State Department of Transportation is responding with more than 3,429 supervisors and operators. Bridge and road maintenance forces are patrolling state roadways and engaged in clean up and damage assessment operations in impacted areas. All residencies in impacted locations will remain staffed with operators, supervisors, and mechanics throughout the duration of the event and priority cleanup operations. NYSDOT is also providing damage assessment and clean up assistance to local municipalities.

Portions of several state highways remain closed because of flooding or downed trees, including along U.S. Route 9 in Warren County; State Routes 248, 36, and 417 in Steuben County; State Route 11 in St. Lawrence County and State Route 970T in Franklin County. NYSDOT crews are working to reopen the roadways as soon as conditions permit.

To assist with storm recovery efforts, two additional drainage crews (18 people) and six additional damage assessment teams (12 people) are being deployed to the North Country to assist NYSDOT teams already in place. Statewide equipment numbers are as follows:

• 1,408 large dump trucks
• 319 large loaders
• 88 chippers
• 87 wheeled and tracked excavators
• 30 traffic tower platforms
• 18 vacuum trucks with sewer jets
• 12 tree crew bucket trucks

For real-time travel information, motorists should call 511 or visit https://www.511ny.org/#:Alerts, New York State's official traffic and travel information source.

New York State Canal Corporation
Due to the storm, the following sections of the New York State Canal system are closed to navigation:

• Erie Canal between Lock E-8 in Rotterdam, Schenectady County and Lock E-15 in Fort Plain, Montgomery County
• Erie Canal between Lock E-24 in Baldwinsville, Onondaga County and Lock E-27 in Lyons, Wayne County
• Cayuga-Seneca Canal Lock CS-1 in Aurelius, Cayuga County
• The Canal Corporation will reopen these sections as conditions permit.
• Mariners and Canal stakeholders are encouraged to register to receive updates through the Canal Corporation's Notice to Mariners notification program by clicking here.

Department of Financial Services
Residents can get assistance with financial services questions, including insurance information regarding policy coverage for losses, by calling the Department of Financial Services' Disaster Hotline at 800-339-1759 weekdays from 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m.

Additional Resources for Victims, Advice for Dealing with Insurers
New Yorkers who have been impacted by flooding are encouraged to visit the DFS Disaster and Flood Recovery Resource Center for helpful information.

Other resources and advice for impacted families and businesses include steps to help ensure that claims are processed promptly, as well as information on how to file a complaint if policyholders cannot resolve disputes with insurers.

File Claims Promptly - Homeowners who experienced property losses are urged to file insurance claims with their insurers promptly and as soon as possible after losses occur. It is important to provide policy numbers if possible and all information relevant to the loss. To best document losses, homeowners should take photos or videos showing the extent of the losses before cleaning up damage.

Making Necessary Repairs - Homeowners should protect their property from further damage after a loss, but should make only repairs necessary to prevent further damage to property, like covering broken windows. Permanent repairs should not be made until after insurers have inspected losses.

Keep Records of Dealings with Insurance Representatives - Homeowners should cooperate fully with their insurers and keep a diary of all conversations with insurance representatives, including the representatives' names, as well as the times and dates of all calls or visits. They should also follow up in writing with representatives to document their understanding of any conversations they have had with the representatives.

Inventory Your Belongings - Provide your insurer with a detailed room-by-room inventory of damaged personal items and property. Include receipts, such as credit card statements or other documents showing the items' values.

Flood Damage - Homeowners are reminded that flood damage is generally only covered by flood insurance, which is a federal program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Homeowners who have flood insurance and have flood damage should make claims through that insurance. Additionally, homeowners should also read their policies carefully to make sure they understand what damage is covered and under what circumstances. For additional on flood insurance, please visit the Flood Insurance Resource Center on the DFS website at http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/flood_info.htm.

Keep Your Receipts If You Relocate During Repairs - If you need to temporarily relocate while your home is being repaired, make sure to keep receipts and other records of your expenses during that time.

Filing Complaints - Homeowners unable to resolve disputes with their insurers may contact DFS to file a complaint at the following website location, http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/fileacomplaint.htm. DFS investigates all complaints it receives.

Information on Homeowners' Insurance - Additional information can be found at the Homeowners Resource Center on the Department of Financial Services' website at: http://www.dfs.ny.gov/consumer/home_resources.htm.

Department of Public Service
New York's utilities will have approximately 7,500 workers available to engage in damage assessment, response, repair and restoration efforts across New York State in preparation for potential infrastructure damage and customer outages incurred because of the latest weather event; which includes the following external contract workers: 500 external contract workers secured by NYSEG/RG&E; 495 external contract workers secured by Con Edison; 300 external contract workers secured by National Grid; 200 external contract workers secured by Orange & Rockland; 165 external contract workers secured by PSEG LI; and 60 external contract workers secured by Central Hudson. DPS staff will continue to track utilities' work throughout the event and ensure utilities shift additional staffing and resources to regions that experience the greatest impact.

Department of State
The Department of State is deploying staff from the Division of Building Standards and Codes to assist local officials with conducting building safety evaluations and assessments.

Thruway Authority
Thruway Authority staff is ready to respond to any flood related issues across the State with 671 operators and supervisors, small to medium sized excavators, plow/dump trucks, large loaders, portable VMS boards, portable light towers, smaller generators, smaller pumps and equipment hauling trailers, as well as signage and other traffic control devices available for any detours or closures. Variable Message Signs and social media are utilized to alert motorists of weather conditions on the Thruway.

Statewide equipment numbers are as follows:

• 346 large and small dump trucks
• 63 loaders
• 34 trailers
• 6 vac trucks
• 13 excavators
• 7 brush chippers
• 100 chainsaws
• 22 aerial trucks
• 25 skid steers
• 86 portable generators
• 70 portable light units

The Thruway Authority encourages motorists to download its mobile app which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to live traffic cameras, real-time traffic information and navigation assistance while on the go. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway, follow @ThruwayTraffic on X, and visit thruway.ny.gov to see an interactive map showing traffic conditions for the Thruway and other New York State roadways.

New York State Police
State Police supported a DHSES request at the Binghamton/Vestal staging location and will supply a team consisting of 6 URT members, 1 airboat and 1 RHIB. Operations began Thursday night at 6:00 pm for 12-hour operational periods and conclude when no longer needed. State Police will be closely monitoring weather conditions and additional personnel will be deployed, as needed, to affected areas. State Police specialized vehicles, including four-wheel drive vehicles, utility task vehicles and boats are staged and ready for immediate response.

Department of Environmental Conservation
DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers, Forest Rangers, Emergency Management staff, and regional staff are assessing critical infrastructure and areas impacted by the significant rainfall. Assets are deployed to assist with emergency responses in flood-damaged communities.

Hikers remain advised to temporarily avoid all high-elevation trails and trails that cross rivers and streams. Hikers in the Adirondacks are encouraged to check the Adirondack Backcountry Information webpages for updates on trail conditions, seasonal road closures, and general recreation information.

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
New York State Park Police and park personnel are on alert and closely monitoring weather conditions and impacts. State Parks has placed seven sawyer crews on standby to assist with storm clean up. Park visitors should visit parks.ny.gov, check the free NY State Parks Explorer mobile app or call their local park office for the latest updates regarding park hours, openings and closings.

Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority closely monitored weather conditions to ensure safe, reliable service. MTA employees responded quickly to weather-related issues including downed trees on tracks. To reduce the likelihood of flooding and respond to any instances of flooding, MTA crews inspected drains in flood-prone areas to ensure they are functional, and supervisors monitored flood-prone locations for reports of flooding to ensure quick response.

Customers are encouraged to check new.mta.info for the latest service updates, and to use caution while navigating the system. Customers should also sign up for real-time service alerts via text or email. These alerts are also available via the MTA app and the TrainTime app.

Contact the Governor's Press Office