FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Queens College hosts disaster recovery program
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Th e Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) has opened a Disaster
Recovery Center at Queens College in
Flushing to assist residents who were
impacted by storm damage and fl ooding
caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
Governor Kathy Hochul on Th ursday,
Sept. 9, announced the opening of six facilities
in the city and Westchester County,
where people can seek assistance from
recovery specialists from FEMA and the
U.S. Small Business Administration.
“New Yorkers who were impacted by last
week’s devastating fl oods and storm damage
can now receive in-person, one-on-one
assistance with professionals equipped to
assist in the recovery process,” said Hochul,
who thanked the federal government for
working quickly to establish the facilities to
get New Yorkers the help they need.
Queens College President Frank Wu said
they are working with the federal government
and CUNY to provide secure and safe campus
space in order to host a disaster recovery
program accessible to the community.
“It is vitally important to help our neighbors
gain easy access to the federal assistance
they need to mitigate the horrific
impact of the recent weather,” Wu told
QNS.
Th e college’s Student Union, located at
152-45 Melbourne Ave., will be open daily
from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. where residents can
BY EMILY DAVENPORT &
ZACHARY GEWELB
editorial@qns.com
@QNS
Th e FDNY extinguished a
two-alarm fi re that broke out on
the roof of St. John’s Episcopal
Hospital in Far Rockaway on
Friday evening.
FDNY responded to the call
at 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 10. Th e fi re
was on the exterior of the roof
and fi remen extinguished the
fi re just before 7 p.m., according
to the FDNY.
According to a hospital
spokesperson, the fi re caused
damage to the roof and the
11th and 10th patient fl oors.
While the FDNY originally
reported that four people were
injured as a result of the fi re,
the hospital claims no one was
injured.
Some of the hospital’s staff
and patients sheltered in place,
while some were evacuated
outside the hospital as FDNY
personnel worked to extinguish
the fl ames.
“Th e fi re did not set us back,
it just gave us the fuel to propel
forward as we continue to
do the great work we have been
meet with offi cials from FEMA and the U.S.
Small Business Administration.
Th ose offi cials will answer questions and
provide information on the types of federal
help available to homeowners, renters
and business owners as a result of the
major disaster declarations stemming from
the hurricane.
Residents who have been displaced,
including uninsured families, will be eligible
doing to support the healthcare
needs of our community,” said
Jerry Walsh, the hospital’s CEO.
Th e hospital has begun eff orts
to rebuild the aff ected areas.
Th ose interested in helping can
make a donation online at ehs.
org/fi refund.
Individuals seeking healthcare
can continue to receive
services at the hospital, and the
emergency department remains
open, according to SJEH.
for funds for housing assistance, as well
as crisis counseling, unemployment assistance,
home repairs and legal services.
State agency personnel will be stationed
within the facilities to connect impacted
citizens with state programs or services
that may be available to assist them in
their recovery.
Aft er advocating for a recovery center
to be located in her congressional district
in Flushing, where many of her constituents
have suff ered from devastating losses,
Congresswoman Grace Meng said the center
will be a “vital resource to ensuring that
they get the help they need and deserve.”
“I encourage those who have been
impacted to take advantage of the assistance
that the staff at this facility have to
off er. Th ank you to FEMA for opening this
center and for working to assist Queens
residents who have been devastated by the
storm,” Meng said.
Survivors with internet or phone service
may register with FEMA using the FEMA
App, online at disasterassistance.gov or by
calling 800-621-3362. Individuals who have
a speech disability or hearing loss and
use TTY should call 800-462-7585 directly.
Th ose who use 711 or Video Relay Service
may call 800-621-3362.
Th e toll-free telephone numbers operate
from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (local time) seven
days a week until further notice. Operators
are multilingual and those who use a relay
service such as a videophone, InnoCaption
or CapTel should update FEMA with their
specifi c number assigned to that service.
If you need accommodations for language
or a disability, let the operator know.
With current connectivity issues, the recovery
center also off ers a place for survivors
to register for assistance in person and get
one-on-one help from recovery specialists.
For additional online resources, as well as
FEMA downloadable pamphlets and other
aids, visit disasterassistance.gov and click
“information.”
FDNY battles blaze on roof of Far Rockaway hospital
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
Firefi ghters work a hose line on
roofi ng materials that burned at St.
John’s Episcopal Hospital.
Courtesy of Queens College
United States Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas visits the new FEMA Disaster Recovery
Center in the Student Union at Queens College, where he was joined by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic,
Councilman James Gennaro, Queens College President Frank H. Wu, and with Congresswoman Grace
Meng.
Photo courtesy of St. John’s Episcopal Hospital
Photo by Lloyd Mitchell
People at the hospital either sheltered
in place or were evacuated outdoors.