Message to 7th District Residents:

As our country continues the clean up in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, my thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones in the storm. We are also thinking of our friends in neighboring New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland – the damage and destruction in these areas is devastating.

In our region, the storm caused serious damage, severe flooding and widespread power outages. If you or a loved one are among the many residents in the 7th Congressional District who experienced damage to your home or business, below is important information that may be helpful as you continue the stages of recovery. As always, if I can be of assistance to you, please contact my office in Springfield at 610-690-7323.


Disaster Assistance:
I have remained in contact with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regarding preparations and emergency procedures, as well as damage assessment and recovery assistance. Currently, Pennsylvania has received a FEMA Emergency Declaration which means that Federal recovery funds are available to state and local governments. Until a Disaster Declaration is made by FEMA for individual Pennsylvania counties, direct individual assistance is not available from FEMA. I encourage you to monitor the FEMA website for updates on any Disaster Declarations for your county.

If your property sustained damage from the storm, and you wish to receive assistance from FEMA, please contact your local township or borough officials. Your local officials will need to be notified so that they can include your property damage in the township’s application for assistance from FEMA/PEMA. The township will work with your local county to process your claim and apply for assistance on your behalf.

You may also need to contact the Small Business Administration (SBA) regarding loans to help your business recover from a natural disaster:
• http://www.sba.gov/content/home-and-personal-property-loans
• 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339)
• e-mail: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov

Be Aware of Scams:
Unfortunately there are some that take advantage of these situations to prey on people when they are most vulnerable. Before you hand out your personal information or give anyone money, please use caution. If you are ever in doubt or suspect that someone is taking advantage of you or your friends or neighbors, please contact your local police. Additionally, if someone is purporting themselves to represent FEMA or the federal government, please contact the Department of Homeland Security waste and fraud abuse center (contact information can be found below). FEMA does not endorse or send out contractors. Always ask to see identification, remember to ask for references and keep your receipts, and never be pressured into signing a contract, paying up front, or signing over any insurance checks.

To contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) about fraud and abuse:
Email them at DHSOIGHOTLINE@dhs.gov
Call their Hotline at 1-800-323-8603. (Please note that this phone number is used to make a report only.)
Fax the complaint directly to them at 202-254-4292

Contact PECO:
Peco Emergency Services
800-841-4141

Clean Up:
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection released some helpful information about how to properly dispose of and process debris left behind from the storm. Click here to read more.

IRS Grants Extension:
The IRS has announced that taxpayers with filings due today (Oct. 31) have been granted an extension until Nov. 7. This only applies to those living in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Click here for more information.

For more information about how you can help those in need please contact the American Red Cross at http://www.redcross.org or contact the local Southeastern Pennsylvania Chapter at 215-299-4000.

My staff and I stand ready to assist you in any way that we can. For more updates, please visit my website, my Facebook page, and follow me on Twitter.