Local politicians spoke with the media and their constituents in the dilapidated MacDonald Park in Forest Hills on Friday, September 17 – a day after a major storm uprooted trees and caused millions of dollars in damaged property all over Queens.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we had a tornado in this neighborhood,” said Congressmember Anthony Weiner before the two separate tornados were confirmed by the National Weather Service. “It’s not going to rain pennies from heaven. If you had your car smashed, you better hope your insurance policy’s taking care of it. If you have damage to your home, you have to hope that your homeowner’s policy takes care of it. What we’re trying to do here today is to try to do the best we can to get our communities back and livable again.”
A letter to Governor David Paterson signed by 14 councilmembers and Speaker Christine Quinn urged him to declare New York City an official disaster area; an action that would allow federal assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help the thousands of residents who were impacted by the storm. Councilmember Dan Halloran spoke about the importance of documenting and reporting damages to the proper authorities.
"We need to have not only those 3-1-1 calls come in, but photographs be taken,” said Halloran. “The more people respond, the more we can document, the better our chance for federal funding. I think we will get to that number.”
In response to the powerful storm, the New York State Insurance Department has activated its Disaster Hotline to help consumers with insurance questions regarding property damage and filing claims. Anyone with a question can call 800-339-1759 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
"While a consumer’s first point of contact should be their insurance agent, broker or company, consumers should always feel free to contact the Insurance Department if they need help or are unable to resolve a dispute with their insurer. The Department’s Consumer Services Bureau professionals are also available to answer general inquiries regarding the coverage provided by insurance policies for windstorm claims," Insurance Superintendent James Wrynn said.
To file complaints about a dispute with insurance companies or to obtain information on property and automobile insurance, visit www.ins.state.ny.us. Wrynn suggests that consumers have copies of all their insurance policies readily available including homeowners, renters, flood, automobile and business insurance when filing claims.
Some New Yorkers received an advanced notice of the storm by enrolling at www.NYalert.gov, which sends out text messages and emails regarding imminent threats to safety. It is also important to check with the Better Business Bureau before hiring a contractor to fix damage to your property. Many times, storm-chasing contractors lay heavy sales-pitches on victims who want to get their lives back in order. It pays to do your research at www.newyork.bbb.org.
If there is a life-threatening situation (a downed power line, dangerous debris) call 911.
If there is significant debris that is blocking the street or a fallen street tree, please call 311.
If your house is uninhabitable, call the Red Cross for emergency assistance 1-877-RED-CROS
If you have a power outage, call Con Ed at 1-800-75-ConEd or www.coned.com.
