Lawmakers call for emergency flood assistance

Jul. 24—State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Assemblymen Angelo Morinello and Mike Norris are requesting emergency aid for Lockport, Niagara Falls and other sites in Niagara County impacted by this week's flash flooding.

The three lawmakers sent a letter requesting immediate coordination between the New York State Office of Emergency Management (SEMO) and local municipalities. On Tuesday, severe rainstorms caused a significant amount of damage throughout Niagara County.

"The torrential rainstorms that passed through our region earlier this week have had a devastating impact on local infrastructure, residents, and businesses," Ortt said. "While our emergency services and first responders did a magnificent job with initial emergency efforts, there will be larger and longer-lasting infrastructure issues that must be attended to. I am requesting immediate coordination from the State's Office of Emergency Management to assist our local governments, and my office stands at the ready to help in any capacity we can."

"I am joining my colleagues to bring attention to the devastating flooding that occurred earlier this week for the residents and municipalities of Niagara County," added Morinello. "Thus far, we have had swift and responsive communication with local departments and first responders in the immediate aftermath of this week's storms. I look forward to continuing my work with our state agencies to provide further assistance to our residents as the full extent of the disaster is uncovered in the coming days."

Norris said, "It is critical for the residents, businesses, farmers, and municipalities of Lockport and Niagara County to receive immediate emergency financial resources who suffered devastating losses due to the damaging flooding this past week. That's why I am working together with my fellow colleagues to urge that an immediate state emergency declaration be issued and for federal and state agencies to act quickly to assist Niagara County in this time of need."

Niagara Falls and Niagara County leaders have been asking residents to report damage caused by Wednesday's flashing flooding by calling or emailing city offices or going on-line or using a smart phone app.

The officials said they were hoping that a state of emergency declaration, issued in the aftermath of a series of micro-burst thunderstorms and the resulting flooding, would make residents eligible for some state aid to help cover the costs associated with the flood damage.

"People have been suffering," Mayor Robert Restaino said earlier this week. "We have a city that has been under siege from water for the last two weeks."

At the same time as the mayor was issuing his call to action, Niagara County Emergency Services Director Jonathan Schultz announced the release of a new smartphone application called Prepare Niagara. The app will serve as a way for Schultz's agency to connect with county residents and visitors to provide information about flood damage.

Residents, once they download the app, will be able to to submit damage reports about Tuesday's flooding.

"For that very reason, we are releasing the app about a week earlier than we had planned so people can submit damage reports from the July 20 storms," Schultz said. "It's a very fast process and is key to helping us meet requirements of a state of emergency declaration."

The Niagara County Emergency Services app is available for download for free in the App Store and Google Play by searching "Niagara County Emergency, NY, clicking on the QR code or going to https://apps.myocv.com/share/a58414094