New York Gov. Cuomo Announces Establishment of Nine Disaster Assistance Services Centers Throughout Mohawk Valley

ALBANY, New York, Nov. 7 -- Gov. Andrew Cuomo, D-New York, issued the following news release:

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced New York State has established nine Disaster Assistance Services Centers throughout the Mohawk Valley in order to provide residents affected by last week's severe weather with critical recovery services being offered by State, County and Non-Profit organizations. Residents are still able to report damage and request services through 211. However, these Centers will provide direct, face-to-face contact with agency representatives to help further streamline the delivery of services. The Centers are being established as specialists from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services are actively working with local partners to complete damage assessments of public infrastructure which are necessary in order to apply for federal disaster aid.

"As the Mohawk Valley continues to recover from the recent storm, we are making sure households in the region have easy access to the essential services they need to get by," Governor Cuomo said. "The disaster assistance centers that we have set up will connect people with trained staff who can assist them in this critical time while we continue to work with local responders to address the damage in public areas."

Inside each Disaster Assistance Services Center residents will have the ability to work directly with representatives from the State Department of Financial Services, Office of Children and Family Services, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, Department of Labor, Office of Mental Health, Department of Health, Office of People with Developmental Disabilities, and the Office for the Aging, along with the American Red Cross. Representatives will be able to assist affected New Yorkers with a multitude of emergency response, health, housing, human service, insurance and labor-related issues.

Disaster Assistance Services Center locations and their hours of operation are as follows:

Herkimer County

Little Falls Senior Community Center

524 E Main St, Little Falls, NY 13365

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8

Newport Fire Department

7370 Main St, Newport, NY 13416

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9

Dolgeville Municipal Hall

41 North Main St, Dolgeville, NY 13329

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9

Frankfort Town Hall Basement

201 3rd Ave, Frankfort, NY 13340

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 from 8am to 8pm

Oneida County

SUNY Polytechnic Institute

100 Seymour Ave, Utica, NY 13502

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9

Whitesboro Fire Department

171 Oriskany Blvd, Whitesboro, NY 13492

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9

Hamilton County

OPWDD Speculator Day Hab

2880 Rt. 30, Speculator, NY 12164

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8

Wells Community Center

1382 State Rt. 30, Wells, NY 12190

Dates of Operation: Friday, November 8 and Saturday, November 9

Hope Town Office

548 St, Hwy 30, Northville, NY 12134

Dates of Operation: Saturday, November 9

All Disaster Assistance Services Centers will be open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Last week, Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency for Cayuga, Chautauqua, Cortland, Dutchess, Erie, Essex, Hamilton, Herkimer, Montgomery, Oneida, Saratoga, Warren and Jefferson Counties as heavy rains and 70-mph winds caused flooding and power outages throughout most of the state. State response equipment, hundreds of state personnel, 200 members of the National Guard and various other resources were deployed to assist localities with response and clean-up operations, at the Governor's direction.

As New York's first responders and emergency management teams remain on the ground assisting local partners with storm response operations, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has already deployed specialists who are actively assessing damage in order to apply for potential federal disaster aid. Division leadership remains in constant contact with FEMA to push for an expedited review on the federal side, once assessments are finalized.

Disaster Assistance Response Teams from the Division's Office of Fire Prevention and Control have also been on the ground in Herkimer County for the past several days assisting County code enforcement officials with building inspections to determine the habitability of damaged structures.

Additionally, the State Department of Financial Services Mobile Command Center has been deployed to the Mohawk Valley to provide insurance assistance to affected residents. The Mobile Command Center is currently located at the Town of Newport Fire Department and will be open between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. through Sunday, November 9. Residents who are not able to visit the Mobile Command Center can call the Department's Disaster Hotline at 800-339-1759, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 p.m. for help with insurance related issues.

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- Centers will Directly Connect Residents Affected by Severe Weather with State Agencies for Various Recovery Services

- Mohawk Valley Residents Can Also Access Services via 211

- State Specialists Remain On the Ground Actively Assessing Damage for Federal Disaster Aid Application