Delaware Gov. Carney Creates Resilience Fund to Assist Delawareans Affected by Severe Weather

DOVER, Delaware, Aug. 21 -- Gov. John C. Carney, D-Delaware, issued the following news release on Aug. 20:

Governor John Carney on Thursday signed Executive Order #44, creating the Delaware Resilience Fund Program to assist Delaware families and communities devastated by tornadoes and other severe weather this month.

Click here to read Governor Carney's Executive Order #44 https://governor.delaware.gov/executive-orders/eo44/.

"Many Delaware families saw their homes and communities devastated by back-to-back storms this month," said Governor Carney. "I've seen that devastation first-hand over the past two weeks. We should support our neighbors who have had their lives upended by severe weather - especially during these difficult times. We hope this new program will meet unmet needs in our communities and help Delaware families rebuild."

The Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) will coordinate with community organizations to assist families in making qualifying repairs to homes and properties that are not covered by homeowner's insurance. DEMA also will work with community organizations to establish a process for citizens to submit requests for aid.

The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) will rate and assess damage to roadways statewide caused by August 2020 storms. In coordination with the Delaware Office of Management and Budget (OMB), DelDOT will designate funding from its Pavement and Rehabilitation Program to repair roadways damaged by severe weather this month.

"It is unfortunate that at times we do not have the ability to assist those greatly impacted after an event like this," said A.J. Schall, Director of the Delaware Emergency Management Agency. "This program provides us one more option to support partners who assist so many throughout the state. We have been working on a permanent Resiliency Fund, so hopefully we can capture this momentum and continue to build partnerships to be even better prepared for the next event."

"The storm damage that impacted areas around our state earlier this month caused significant damage. Some of that damage directly impacted roadways," said DelDOT Secretary Jennifer Cohan. "The Department will immediately begin implementing a process to evaluate and assess the damage causes specifically by these storms to determine the best corrective action."

"The tornadoes spawned by Tropical Storm Isaias earlier this month severely damaged dozens of homes and properties in the 10th District, where residents were already reeling from the financial devastation of the ongoing pandemic," said Senator Stephanie Hansen. "Many of our neighbors have learned the hard way that the insurance they thought they could depend on will provide much less support than they had hoped, leaving families with huge and unexpected financial burdens at the worst possible moment. Our neighbors desperately need help and I commend Governor John Carney for answering the call by signing an Executive Order today that will provide much-needed assistance to those communities."

"Communities across Delaware, including mine, were hit hard by tornadoes and storms earlier this month, and residents are still struggling to repair the damage they caused and navigate insurance coverage issues," said Representative Krista Griffith. "By setting up this fund and working with community organizations, the state can fill in some of those funding gaps and help get residents back on their feet and make needed repairs. This is what Delaware does best: we help our neighbors in need."

"The devastation that hit Kent County left residents without power and with uninhabitable homes. Many are learning that their insurance policies won't cover the damages, and they need help," said Representative Andria Bennett. "Establishing a funding program will provide those hardest hit with a lifeline so they can get a roof over their heads and help make their lives whole again. Thank you to Governor Carney for taking action for our constituents."

"Some roads in our communities suffered significant storm damage, and DelDOT did great job cleaning up the storm debris. Now as they look toward rebuilding, they need some help to get our roadways rebuilt," said Representative Sean Matthews. "I look forward to working with DelDOT and the Governor's office to rebuild our roads better than before and thank them for their forward thinking on this issue."

Watch Governor Carney sign Executive Order #44 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flivestream.com%2Fstateofdelaware%2Fevents%2F9266110&data=02%7C01%7CJessica.Borcky%40delaware.gov%7C3a9f535a6ab047fd5cc508d8454340fc%7C8c09e56951c54deeabb28b99c32a4396%7C0%7C0%7C637335502437942377&sdata=aiKBL94X1BPItCk2oAQ%2FGYVW2jSGNT57dMe6sI7fvKg%3D&reserved=0.