The Federal Emergency Management Agency will arrive in Connecticut today to begin assessing damage from the weekend’s storm.

From a base in Hartford, FEMA’s Preliminary Damage Assessment Team will begin to quantify the losses suffered by municipalities, businesses and individuals in Connecticut. FEMA’s arrival follows Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s Tuesday request for FEMA assistance. Rell also sought the help of the state’s mayors and first selectmen in assessing town-by-town damages.

In a press release, Rell said she was “pleased at [FEMA’s] timely response.”

Following the assessment, the governor plans to seek a major damage declaration from President Bush, which would authorize federal assistance for those affected by the storm. Such assistance might include grants or low-interest loans, and municipalities could also receive reimbursement for certain eligible expenses.

The storm brought as much as eight inches of rain to Connecticut, disrupting Metro-North railroad service and flights out of Bradley International Airport. Winds led to road closures and to power outages that affected more than 44,000 customers.

The FEMA team will work with Connecticut’s Regional Emergency Management Coordinators as well as a FEMA public information officer.

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