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FEMA deployed over 40 generators
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has provided over 40 generators to temporarily energize Saipan, soon after Super Typhoon Yutu hit the CNMI.
David Gervino, FEMA’s incident management assistance teams external affairs officer, said during the Saipan Chamber of Commerce meeting yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Saipan that FEMA was able to deploy a total of 44 generators just a week after Yutu.
“We’ve had 44 installations of temporary power to critical facilities. We’ve conducted…142 or 148 assessments,” he said.
The generators currently power the more critical infrastructures on the islands of Saipan and Tinian and also powers the pumps needed to get water flowing to villages.
Aside from generators, FEMA also deployed a total of 261 personnel on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota to offer disaster assistance, and 913 other federal agency personnel.
When asked about the overall cost of aiding the CNMI, Gervino said those numbers are not available yet since the devastation of Super Typhoon Yutu is still fresh. Generally, FEMA comes up with cost estimates 60 days into a disaster. “The reason for that is because people are still applying for assistance,” he added.
Gervino said that FEMA is encouraging everyone to apply for disaster assistance, whether the damage to their homes from Super Typhoon Yutu is major or minore.
Only U.S. citizens or individuals with U.S. citizen children can avail of financial disaster assistance from FEMA, but non-U.S. citizens will be directed to organizations or agencies that can offer aid to immigrants.
