Temporary Housing Units Available In Northeastern PA Could Help Sandy Victims In New York, New Jersey
Washington DC- Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a letter to Craig Fugate, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), urging him to consider using unused trailers from Irene and Lee to aid Sandy victims in New York and New Jersey. Currently, there are trailers in Northeastern Pennsylvania that were brought to the region in the wake of Irene and Lee that are not being used. In his letter, Casey asked FEMA to work with states impacted by Sandy to see if there are storm victims there that could use these units.
“Northeastern Pennsylvania is uniquely aware of the havoc that hurricanes and tropical storms can bring. If there are resources from Irene and Lee that aren’t being used and can help people hit hard by Sandy then FEMA should take steps to make that happen,” Senator Casey said. “If these trailers are idle and can help victims of Sandy then FEMA should put them to use right away, and I’m hopeful Administrator Fugate will take steps in that direction.”
Currently there are FEMA Temporary Housing Units that are vacant and available in Northeastern Pennsylvania. These units remain from Irene and Lee and could now be utilized to help Sandy victims. The full text of Senator Casey’s letter, in which he asks FEMA to explore this possibility can be seen below:
Mr. W. Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
Dear Administrator Fugate:
Hurricane Sandy recently devastated many areas in the northeastern United States, particularly New Jersey and New York. As you know, just over a year ago, residents of Pennsylvania experienced similarly devastating flooding due to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
It has come to my attention that there are FEMA Temporary Housing Units that are vacant and available in northeastern Pennsylvania. I understand that a formal request for Temporary Housing Units must be made by the state wishing to use them. Due to the proximity of the vacant Temporary Housing Units in northeastern Pennsylvania to locations affected by Hurricane Sandy, I respectfully request that FEMA work with the affected states to evaluate whether these units could be used by storm victims in need of housing.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to continuing to work with you to help residents recover from these storms.
Sincerely,
Robert P. Casey, Jr.
United States Senator
###
