Archives – News Releases
NEWS RELEASES:
April 14, 2011
DEMHS (Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security) contacted the Small Business Administration (SBA) and requested a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) for residential and business roof collapses due to the storms that occurred throughout the month of January. PDAs are conducted to assess if the damages meet SBA’s threshold of 25 residences/businesses with uninsured major damages per county.
Based on the damage data collected from municipalities, PDAs were scheduled in counties that had at least 25 reported collapses or partial collapses. From March 9-11, SBA conducted PDAs in five counties: Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Middlesex and Tolland.
Upon completion of the PDA, SBA determined that the damages did not meet the required thresholds for the state to request a SBA disaster declaration.
If Connecticut had met the criteria, SBA would have released their Disaster Loan Programs which would have provided low interest loans to residents and businesses impacted by the disaster.
DEMHS has contacted DECD (Department of Economic and Community Development), SBA and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) regarding non-disaster programs - all offer either low interest loans or guaranteed loans. Please click on the links below for more information.
BI_Specific_Fact_SheetNorwich_
February 4, 2011
The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding disaster victims in Connecticut that March 8 is the filing deadline for federal economic injury disaster loans. Small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and private non-profit organizations of all sizes throughout Connecticut may apply for disaster loans due to the above normal temperatures and warm nights resulting in insufficient chill hours for maple sap production that occurred from February 15 through April 9, 2010.
Please click on SBA ANNOUNCEMENT to read the entire news release.
February 1, 2011
Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (DEMHS) Issues Winter Storm Safety Tips for Gas & Propane Lines, Heating Oil Deliveries
Residents, Businesses Urged to Clear and Mark Locations of
Propane Tanks, Gas Meters and Lines, Oil Delivery Points
The numerous, severe winter storms that have battered Connecticut – including
the double-barreled storm arriving Tuesday and Wednesday – pose particular challenges
and risks for homeowners and businesses that rely on natural gas, propane and heating
oil, the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
(DEMHS) cautioned today.
The National Weather Service has stated that a deep snowpack remains across
much of the tri-state area, and Connecticut has some of the deepest snow in the region.
The current, two-day storm is expected to bring as much as a foot of additional snow to
the northern portion of the state.
“With this much snow on the ground it’s extremely difficult for oil trucks to make
deliveries, even to homes where they are familiar with the location of fill pipes,” said
DEMHS Commissioner Peter J. Boynton. “In addition, there is a significant risk that
snow plows – especially plows working on driveways – may clip gas meters, gas lines or
propane tanks that are not clearly marked.
“Governor Malloy has asked our Department to encourage everyone to take some
important, common-sense steps to protect themselves,” Commissioner Boynton said.
“Winter weather will be with us for several weeks to come, so Connecticut residents are
urged to bear these cautions in mind.”
For gas meters and gas lines:
Mark the meter clearly with a stake or flag
Keep the meter area and a path to the meter free of snow and debris
Do not use a plow, snow blower or shovel near the meter
Snow can be removed from the meter with a broom
Do not attempt to remove ice from the meter
Mark gas lines with stakes or flags
Information Provided by:
State of Connecticut
Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security
For additional winter safety information please click on Winter Safety
January 2011
WASHINGTON , DC – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) are urging consumers to play it safe as winter weather blankets the United States .
According to USFA, home fires spike in winter months. Cooking and home heating are the leading causes of residential building fires during the winter. The risk of fires also increases with the use of supplemental heating, such as space heaters.
CPSC estimates that home heating was associated with an average of 33,300 fires and 180 fire deaths per year from 2005 to 2007.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is also a serious threat in the winter months. Any fuel-burning appliances in the home, including furnaces and fireplaces, are a potential CO source. Carbon monoxide is called the “invisible killer,” because it is an odorless, colorless and poisonous gas.
There has been an increasing trend in unintentional, non-fire CO deaths associated with consumer products since 1999. CPSC staff estimates there were 184 CO poisoning deaths on average per year from 2005-2007 compared to 122 deaths per year from 1999-2001. Since 1999, the majority of CO deaths have been associated with heating systems and portable generators.
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are an important line of defense in the home, and they give consumers valuable escape time. About two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms, or in homes where consumers have removed the alarm’s batteries or where the batteries are dead. Recently, there were tragic deaths in homes where alarms could have made a difference:
- In Citra , Fla. , a fire killed five children on November 8. Their home did not have smoke alarms.
- In Penfield , N.Y. , a 54-year-old man died of CO poisoning in November. Prior to his death, the home’s CO alarms reportedly beeped and were removed from the house.
CPSC and USFA recommend that in addition to having working smoke and CO alarms, consumers should follow these safety tips to prevent fires and CO poisoning:
Preventing Fires
- Place space heaters on a floor that is flat and level. Do not put space heaters on rugs or carpets. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture, and other flammable materials; and place space heaters out of the flow of foot traffic. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
- To prevent the risk of fire, NEVER leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or place a space heater close to any sleeping person. Turn the heater off when you leave the area. See CPSC’s electric space heater safety alert for more space heater safety tips.
- Never use gasoline in a kerosene space heater. Even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of a fire.
- Have fireplace flues and chimneys inspected for leakage and blockage from creosote or debris every year.
- Open the fireplace damper before lighting a fire, and keep it open until the ashes are cool. An open damper may help prevent build-up of poisonous gases inside the home.
- Store fireplace ashes in a fire-resistant container, and cover the container with a lid. Keep the container outdoors and away from combustibles. Dispose of ashes carefully, keeping them away from dry leaves, trash or other combustible materials.
Preventing CO Poisoning
- Schedule a yearly professional inspection of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents.
- NEVER operate a portable gasoline-powered generator in an enclosed space, such as a garage, shed, or crawlspace, or in the home.
- Keep portable generators as far away from your home and your neighbors’ homes as possible – away from open doors, windows or vents that could allow deadly carbon monoxide into the home.
- When purchasing a space heater, ask the salesperson whether the heater has been safety-certified. A certified heater will have a safety certification mark. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features. An unvented gas space heater that meets current safety standards will shut off if oxygen levels fall too low.
- Do not use portable propane space heaters indoors or in any confined space, unless they are designed specifically for indoor use. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper use.
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For the website of the Tolland Fire Department, please visit www.tollandfire.org
For the Emergency Preparedness website
of the Eastern Highlands Health District, please click here.
