FEMA is in Beacon on Tuesday and Wednesday (November 9th-10th) to help those impacted by Hurricane Ida register for financial relief as part of a “Mobile Disaster Recovery Center” (MDRC) effort organized by Dutchess County, the Small Business Association (SBA) and other State and Federal Agencies, according to a press release from Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s office. FEMA representatives will be in Fishkill’s Town Hall next (November 11th-12th). The first one was in Wappinger Falls days ago.

This is not the only time a person can register for financial assistance due to Hurricane Ida. It is designed to provide another point of access for people to register, who may benefit from doing it with someone. Anyone is encouraged to use this Mobile Disaster Recovery Center for assistance in getting registered. Any Dutchess County resident can use this in-person registration opportunity. Anyone can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362.

Additional MDRCs are being planned for the towns of East Fishkill, Pawling, Dover, Amenia, and North East and the City of Poughkeepsie. The schedule will be updated on DutchessNY.gov as well as the County’s social media.

The deadline to apply for funding is December 6, 2021.

Who Or What Is Eligible For FEMA Financial Assistance?

In late September, 2021, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro applied for and was granted Major Disaster Declaration, which means that the county is “eligible to receive Public Assistance (PA), which is aid available to local governments – the county, towns, villages, and cities – as well as other public entities such as water and sewer authorities and fire districts. Emergency work, such as overtime and debris removal, as well as the repair of damaged public facilities are all considered to be eligible expenses for aid from the federal government. Certain private, non-profits which provide governmental services are also eligible. Under PA, FEMA funds up to 75 percent of the eligible costs,” according to a press release from Dutchess County.

After remnants of Hurricane Ida whipped through Dutchess County, the county made a large effort to collect information about who was impacted and how much it would cost to repair. This helped make Dutchess County eligible for federal FEMA funding.

Said County Executive Marcus Molinaro: “This disaster declaration is good news for our local municipalities who sustained significant damage as it provides much needed support and assistance to repair the more than $2.5 million worth of damage to public facilities throughout Dutchess County following Hurricane Ida. We will continue to press FEMA and the State for ‘Individual Assistance’ to aid the families and businesses who have also sustained significant damage and are struggling to recover. We are grateful to the Governor’s office for their support throughout this weeks-long review process to get the Public Assistance for municipalities and hope we can be equally successful in ensuring Individual Assistance for residents and businesses.”

What You’ll Need For The In-Person FEMA Registration In Beacon, Fishkill, Or Other Pop-Ups

According to the FEMA representatives in Beacon, a person who had damage need only to come down to the FEMA Mobile pop-up and explain damages. Pictures are not needed at this time. Those will be collected when an inspection is conducted. A Social Security number is required.

For Beacon, the door to enter is behind the Memorial Building.

This in-person registration opportunity is not the only way to apply for FEMA aid due to Hurricane Ida. Any Dutchess County resident can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA at 800-621-3362.