In Southeastern PA Thousands Still Remain Without Power / Governor and President Have Declared Emergencies / Moving Forward, Federal Government Could Still Reimburse Municipalities for Overtime Costs for First Responders
Washington DC- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) announced that he has sent a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urging them to continue to aid Pennsylvania after a week of severe weather. Nearly a week after storms hit the state, thousands remain without power. Moving forward, the federal government, through FEMA, can provide additional aid to counties impacted like reimbursement for the overtime of first responders.
“Last week’s storms continued what has been a very tough winter for our entire state and in particular for Southeastern Pennsylvania,” Senator Casey said. “In the coming days and weeks it’s critical that FEMA continue to do all within its power to help our municipalities deal with the impact of these storms.”
The full text of Senator Casey’s letter, which was sent Friday, can be seen below:
Mr. Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Dear Administrator Fugate:
I write to ask for your continued commitment to helping Pennsylvanians recover from the severe snow and ice storms of this week.
Recovery from the storms is ongoing. During the peak of the storm, power outages impacted over 800,000 customers in south central and southeast Pennsylvania. PECO, the main electricity supplier of the greater Philadelphia region, has stated that this is storm is the second most damaging in its history. Current estimates indicate that over 300,000 customers in Pennsylvania are still without electricity. The need to restore power is immediate as more storms are expected to impact the region in the coming week.
As you know, FEMA granted the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s request for direct federal assistance for seven counties within the Commonwealth, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia and York. This direct assistance has been helpful to the recovery effort. Moving forward, I respectfully request that you continue to work closely with local officials and first responders in Pennsylvania to ensure that the Commonwealth has the resources necessary to recover as quickly as possible. I stand ready to assist you in this effort.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and your continued support.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senate
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