(Binghamton, NY-) Today, the Broome County Health Department held a thank you and farewell reception for the remaining Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) employees who were assigned to work in Greater Binghamton as part of the 2006 flood recovery efforts. This Friday will be the final day of work for FEMA employees in the Binghamton community. FEMA officials assisted over 4,000 victims of the severe flooding that occurred in 2006, housing over 270 in FEMA trailers that were left homeless.

 

“I want to thank the FEMA workers for their dedicated efforts in our community,” said Broome County Executive Barbara J. Fiala. “Through your work you became part of our community by assisting those in their greatest time of need.” Executive Fiala issued County Citations to the final two FEMA staff members serving in the area.

 

As a result of the 2006 floods, 4,840 Broome County residents applied for FEMA assistance.  3,994 residents were referred for possible FEMA grant assistance out of which 3,322 were found eligible. In total, FEMA delivered $13,388,039.77 in recovery funding to assist those in need following the devastating flooding that occurred in 2006.

“Without the extraordinary support from all the County agencies, Local Voluntary Agencies, and our State Partners programs like this would not succeed,” said FEMA Team Lead Bruce Nuss.  “These are the folks that should be congratulated, FEMA’s role is to find and match resources to the needs in these long-term recovery missions.”

 

Both Bruce Nuss and Doris Littlejohn will leave the Binghamton community following their last day of work on Friday. Each worked daily with voluntary agencies, zoning and codes enforcement officers, church groups, contractors and private individuals to overcome the disaster that took place.

 

“This is what we do, but it is always a team effort, no one person or agency can fix everything,” added Nuss.