PROVIDENCE / 3:38 p.m. -- Governor Carcieri is appealing the Federal
Emergency Management Agency's decision to deny the state's request for a
major disaster declaration following one of the nation's worst nightclub
fires.
In a letter to President Bush dated March 25, Carcieri outlined more
than $1 million in direct state and local expenses related to the Feb.
20 fire at The Station, in West Warwick. Ninety-nine people were killed
in the blaze and more than 180 injured.
"I have determined that this incident is of such severity and magnitude
that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and the
affected local communities," Carcieri wrote in the letter, which was
distributed to the press today.
Carcieri, a Republican, previously said "it's a stretch" the agency
would reconsider its denial.
He based his appeal in part on detailed costs associated with the fire
that the state did not provide in its initial application. He also noted
long-term costs of the large number of victims who will need to rely on
public assistance to address their unmet needs.
"Even in the short-term since the fire, the aggregate of uninsured
medical expenses, lost incomes and mental health costs are already in
the millions of dollars," the governor said. "Over time, the range of
some estimates exceed $100 million.
"The unmet needs, we believe, clearly are of such severity and magnitude
that effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and
affected local governments," Carcieri wrote.
The letter detailed the fire's enormous human toll, including: 25
orphaned children; 38 victims who were still in hospitals at the time;
65 victims without medical insurance; 25 people who died were their
family's primary financial provider, and 115 victims were put out of
work.
Carcieri is seeking help from individual assistance programs. He's
looking for unemployment benefits, crisis counseling and other unmet
needs, including uninsured medical expenses and public assistance.
The state so far has received $504,000 in direct federal aid, according
to the letter.
The governor has said he's also received a commitment for hospitals to
obtain help with increased reimbursements for uncompensated care
provided to fire victims -- a cost Carcieri has estimated "in the
millions."
The Health and Human Services department is also providing $50,000 to
the state, for mental health assistance, and has promised to help
hospitals deal with the costs of uncompensated care.
Yesterday, Rhode Island received an emergency declaration making it
eligible for federal aid for the Presidents' Day snowstorm that buried
the state in 15 to 25 inches of snow.
The federal government will offer to share the cost of emergency
protective measures taken to ensure the safety of people and property
over a 48-hour period. A dollar amount was not given.
Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts,
Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania had already
received emergency declarations for the Feb. 17 storm.
A spokesman for Carcieri said last night that the act providing such
emergency aid set criteria more in line with the costs of responding to
natural disasters.
