Letter to Administrator Fugate, FEMA

Letter

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today called on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director Craig Fugate to help the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) identify and recruit utility workers across the country to send to Long Island to restore power to the nearly 270,000 customers that still don't have it. In the wake of Irene, hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders lost power, and although LIPA is working towards repairing the damage and returning power to the Island, according to LIPA Chief Operating Officer Michael Hervey, the agency does not have enough utility employees to repair the damage from downed trees and utility poles. Schumer today said that utility workers in other states that were not affected could help repair some of the damage. Schumer urged FEMA to work with LIPA to identify workers throughout the country and help bring them to Long Island.

"Hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders are still without power, and there just aren't enough workers here right now to get the power back on in a timely fashion," said Schumer. "That's why I'm urging FEMA to identify available utility workers from other areas unaffected by Irene and recruit them to come to Long Island to help get the power back on. A week is a longtime to go without lights, particularly for the elderly and children."

LIPA has been working over the last three days to restore power to Long Islanders in the wake of Irene, with many of the 2,400 line workers and tree trimmers working 16-hour shifts to restore power. But according to LIPA, they simply don't have enough workers to handle the immense damage. While the number of Long Islanders without power is down to 270,000 from 523,000 immediately after the storm, LIPA has stated that it will take until Friday of this week, or even next week, to return power to most Long Island residents.

Schumer today, in a letter to Administrator Fugate, urged the agency to get directly involved in the efforts to identify and recruit line workers to assist LIPA and restore power. Schumer said that a week without power would be devastating for many Long Island families and businesses.

A copy of Schumer's letter is below.

Dear Administrator Fugate,

First, let me state that FEMA has done a tremendous job with its preparedness and responsiveness to Hurricane Irene. Your agency should rightly be commended for your efforts. I write to you today, though, out of concern for the hundreds of thousands of Long Islanders that remain without power as a result of the storm. In the wake of this devastating storm, the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has been working aggressively over the last three days to restore power to hundreds of thousands of Long Island customers, with as many as 2,400 utility employees working 16-hour shifts. While the number of customers without power is down from a high of 523,000 in the immediate aftermath of the storm, some to 270,000 customers are still without power.

Right now, the most significant problem facing LIPA's storm response is manpower: they simply do not have enough workers to handle the incredible number of downed trees and damaged utility poles across the Long Island. The agency says it will take until Friday of this week, or even next week, to return power to most Long Island residents. As you know, the loss of power for such a significant period of time is difficult for anyone, but perhaps more difficult for seniors and children. Here on Long Island there are currently 12 nursing homes that do not have electricity.

That's why I'm urging you to help identify and recruit utility workers from across the country to send to Long Island to help restore power, so that LIPA can speed up its anticipated timeline for full power restoration. I urge your agency to do everything possible to assist in this endeavor and work to identify any available utility workers from across the country.

Sincerely,

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer

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