FEMA's Nick Russo said he was impressed by the spirit and teamwork displayed by Springfield residents and officials in grappling with tornado destruction.
Nick Russo of FEMA speaks to residents at the Holy Cross parish gym on assistance to residents effected by the June 1 tornado. Looking on is Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno at left.SPRINGFIELD – Federal disaster aid officials commended the city’s residents and public officials Thursday for their response to the June 1 tornadoes, but also urged businesses and homeowners to be assertive in applying for assistance.
“Don’t disqualify yourself,” said Jose Vejarano, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Small Business Administration, speaking to about 200 residents attending an informational meeting at the Holy Cross school on Plumtree Road.
Vejarano and Nick Russo, representing the Federal Emergency Management Administration, stressed that anyone suffering storm damage should apply for federal disaster relief.
“The key is the application – the process starts there,” Vejarano said.
Russo said he was impressed by the spirit and teamwork displayed by Springfield residents and officials in grappling with the destruction caused by the tornadoes.
Noting that he has responded to 76 disasters, Russo said the recovery effort here is “light years ahead of some of the places I’ve been.”
The session, conducted by Springfield City Councilor Timothy Allen, featured a panel of local, state and federal officials offering up-to-date information on storm recovery efforts and an overview of the financial assistance available to homeowners and businesses.
Several officials, including city engineer Christopher M. Cignoli, urged residents to notify the city if they are dealing with dangerous storm debris or trees leaning at precarious angles. “We want to get in there (and handle the problem),”Cignoli said.
The city will continue picking up storm debris left at curbside, though debris left in barrels or bags might not be picked up until the regular trash day, Cignoli added.
Allen also assured homeowners that storm damage to property will be reflected on real estate tax bills sent out next month.
Schools superintendent Alan J. Ingram told residents that repairs are being made to the Mary A. Dryden and Elias A. Brookings elementary schools, though both schools will operate with mobile classrooms in the fall.
After an hour-long presentation, residents were directed to tables in the back of the school’s gymnasium to talk with representatives of various agencies.
To register with FEMA, call the toll-free number at (800) 621-FEMA, or (800) 621-3362. Those who are hearing or speech impaired can call the TTY number of (800) 462-7585.
Both numbers go to a call center that is staffed daily from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m.
People with access to the Internet may also register through the FEMA website, www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Anyone looking for information can go to the FEMA center at Building 104 of the Springfield Technical Community College Technology Park at 1 Federal St. or the nearest disaster center.
After the session, several residents said they were pleased with the response by local officials in the aftermath of the storm.
Mary Street resident Cheryl A. Butler said the information is especially valuable to residents trying to navigate their way through the rebuilding process.
“Now the hard part begins,” Butler said, adding that the initial shock at the storm’s devastation has given way to complex and painstaking rebuilding effort.
In other developments, police patrolling tornado-damaged areas in the Six Corners neighborhood early Thursday arrested a 44-year-old city man after they spotted him carrying a laptop computer and LCD television as he walked down the street.
After arresting the suspect and placing him in the rear of the cruiser, the officers searched the backpack and found a long crowbar, several CDs, 16 DVDs and mail belonging to a Spruce Street resident. The officers went to that address and found that the front door, which had been boarded up, was kicked in.
The suspect, Kenneth Bolden, of 50 Clifton St., denied charges and was ordered held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail during his arraignment in district court.
In Monson, hard-hit by the tornado, the selectmen have decided the town needs a full-time building inspector and will advertise the post with a salary of $50,385. The previous building inspector, Harold P. Leaming, was part-time and he left June 12 to take a state building inspector job; he ended up being assigned to Monson. “It’s clear we’re not going to make it with a part-time building inspector,” Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers said.