Post Sandy: Useful information on where and how to get help

Here’s an updated list of organizations and businesses in our area offering assistance to victims of Sandy.

Town of Southampton shelter at David Crohan Community Center, 655 Flanders Road, Riverside. Overnight accomodations for 36 people. Meals provided. No showers available.

Suffolk County is making a shelter available for those with special needs. With predicted colder weather coming to the area, the county has opened a special medical facility for disaster survivors who need more assistance than a regular shelter can provide.

The Yapank Alternative Medical Facility has 60 temporary shelter beds available for those who are medically vulnerable, mobility challenged, have a cognitive disability or have other issues that make a staying at home a less desirable option. Oxygen will be provided for those who need it. Call Maddie Barone at 631-852-4677 for further information and details.

Riverhead Town Hall is available as a charging station, Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30, 210 Howell Ave., Riverhead.

Planet Fitness is open to all for hot showers Monday thru Friday 5 a.m.-10 p.m., weekends 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Must show photo ID. Planet Fitness is located at 116 Kroemer Ave., Riverhead 369-6200.

The Riverhead Senior Center is open as a warming center until 5 p.m. at 60 Shade Tree Lane, Aquebogue 722-4444.

Long Island Council of Churches reports that starting tomorrow,Nov. 6 they will have clean-up kits (scrub brushes, cleaning supplies, etc.), blankets and hygiene kits available if you are in need.

FEMA mobile assistance unit: Southold Town Hall, 53095 Route 25, Southold: Monday, Nov. 5 and Tuesday, Nov. 6, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

According to a press release from the county executive’s office, there will be Red Cross food distribution, lunch from 11 a.m. on and dinner from 4 p.m. on, available at the following locations:

· Dennison building in Hauppauge, 100 Vet’s Highway, Hauppauge

· Riverhead County Center 210 Center Drive, Riverhead

· Mastic Fire House, 1088 Mastic Road, Mastic

The county executive’s office reminds residents in flood-damaged homes that, for safety reasons, LIPA requires homeowners to provide an “authorization to energize” by an approved electrical inspection agency before they will re-energize homes. Given the large number of homes impacted by Hurricane Sandy, the process which LIPA requires to ensure public safety could leave a significant number of homes without power for an extended period of time.

Suffolk County is therefore coordinating with LIPA, FEMA, NYS and towns to facilitate this inspection at no cost to homeowners in the affected areas.

The county is coordinating with townships to pair electrical inspectors with code enforcement, building inspectors, fire marshals, and state assets to assess whether homes are safe to repower. The intent is to expedite power restoration to homes in the affected areas.

For information on how you might be able to get help from the U.S. government before, during and after a disaster, visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

You can visit this site to apply online for individual assistance.

This site helps you:

• Learn what help you might be able to apply for from 17 government agencies in Spanish and English
• Reduce the number of forms you have to fill out
• Shorten the time it takes to apply for aid
• Check the progress of your applications online
• Continue to receive benefits from government programs even if you have to leave your home
• Apply for help from FEMA online
• Learn about Small Business Administration loans using an online application
• Have your Social Security benefits sent to a new address
• Find federal disaster recovery centers near your current address
• Search a list of housing available for rent
• Get information about your federal student loan
• Get help from the Department of State if you are affected by a disaster while living or traveling outside the U.S.
• DisasterAssistance.gov also provides information to help you prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters. You can:
• Get the latest news on declared disasters

Find information about:

• Evacuating
• Finding shelter
• Getting food and water
• Getting medical services
• Locating loved ones
• Recovering and rebuilding the areas of your life that were affected by the disaster
• Locate resources in your community that can help you move forward.

{loadposition tab20}