Oneida County Residents with Flood Damage Can Now Apply for FEMA Aid

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today that homeowners, renters, and small business owners in Oneida County affected by Tropical Storm Lee could now apply for FEMA disaster assistance.  We spoke with a business owner in Whitesboro a few weeks ago who was devastated when flooding seriously damaged her businesses.

            Irena Tomaszewski owns a dry cleaning business and laundromat, and the plaza they're in, right next to the Sauquoit creek in Whitesboro. After the horrible flooding-not once but twice-her parking lot was torn up, her businesses flooded, and equipment ruined--and she didn't know if she could continue with her business in that location any longer. 

But now, she has some hope.  She says she and her husband applied for FEMA aid a little while back, but were denied.  Now that Oneida County has been approved for assistance, she says they certainly will apply again. "I am so happy about this," she says, "any money that can help us will be a big deal."

She says there have been people working on the creek day and night, and with the hope for aid, she feels that she no longer needs to fear when she hears that rain is coming.