Sen. Carper Commends Local, State and Federal Efforts in Response to Hurricane Sandy

Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) was briefed by Delaware Emergency Management Agency officials on the effects of Hurricane Sandy and visited shelters and damaged areas. He commended the efforts made by local, state, and federal workers who helped Delawareans prepare for and clean up after the storm.

“For the second time in three days, I had the opportunity to be briefed by federal, state, and local emergency preparedness personnel to learn more about the effects of Hurricane Sandy on the three counties in Delaware and its citizens. I am grateful that many residents of the coastal and flood-prone areas complied with the Governor’s order to evacuate and Delawareans stayed off of the roads. This helped us lower the risk of injuries and fatalities in the face of this historic storm. I also had a chance to thank the many people working at the shelters and the first responders helping to keep us all safe. These folks, including the volunteers at the Red Cross and members of the Army Corps of Engineers, continue to do an incredible job in this effort.

“I was particularly heartened to hear that our beach renourishment efforts, of which the dune system from Fenwick to Lewes is a critical component, continued to play a major role in protecting homes and communities just as it did during Hurricane Irene. While we witnessed breaching and flooding, especially at the Indian River Inlet Bridge caused by high water and wind, our towns were protected by the dunes and additional sand provided by our federal and state funded renourishment projects over the past several years.”

“Now that the storm has passed, we can begin the challenging work of assessing its impact and recovering. Our Congressional Delegation will continue working as a team with the Army Corps of Engineers and other federal, state and local officials to assess damage in an effort to try and ensure assistance is provided to those in need. Yesterday, the President signed an emergency declaration for Delaware to provide additional federal resources. Right now, FEMA is working with the state to determine specific needs and provide assistance.

“Again, I want to thank our many first responders, the hundreds of Delaware National Guard members, DelDOT employees, Red Cross volunteers, Army Corps of Engineers, State Police, DNREC employees, Emergency Operations Center employees, and volunteer medical personal for their heroic efforts during this historic storm. The Delaware community rallied together, and I hope will continue to do so through donation-supported organizations like the Red Cross, as we rebuild and recover from Hurricane Sandy.”