The Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will be conducting State Applicant briefings on November 15 and 16 from 9:45 a.m. – noon. The session on November 15 will be held at Portsmouth Town Hall (2200 East Main Road, Portsmouth) and the session on November 16 will be held at the National Domestic Preparedness Coalition headquarters (742 Ten Rod Road, Exeter). The briefings are open to state agencies, municipalities, fire districts, and private non-profit groups that sustained damage from Hurricane Sandy.
"Any agency considering applying for public assistance must attend one of these briefings," said RIEMA Executive Director Theresa C. Murray. "Applicants have until December 3 to submit an official Request for Public Assistance (RPA). We want people to know what storm-related expenses may be eligible for reimbursement, what documentation is required, and what policies must be followed. Bottom line, our goal is to make the application process as clear as possible."
Applicants who attend one of the meetings will have the opportunity to schedule a Kickoff Meeting with a FEMA representative. A Kickoff Meeting allows applicants to ask FEMA agency-specific questions about eligibility and reimbursement.
PA for Washington, Newport, and Bristol counties was approved on November 3 and the declaration is for damage incurred for Categories A – G under the Public Assistance Program. A declaration for PA for Kent County was approved on November 10.