December 13, 2012
By Neal Tepel
Free NYC Rapid Repairs Program Offers Homeowners Emergency Restoration of Heat, Hot Water and Electricity. As many as 60,000 New York City homes, which were devastated by Hurricane Sandy, are in need of heat, hot water and electricity restoration. To get impacted New Yorkers back into their homes as the winter rapidly approaches, the Mechanical Contractors Association of New York (MCA) and Steamfitters Local 638 are putting their resources, manpower and support behind Mayor Bloomberg’s NYC Rapid Repairs Program.
The free program is designed to help residential property owners in New York City make emergency repairs and get them back in their homes as soon as possible.
“The members of Steamfitters Local 638’s top priority is helping neighborhoods rebuild one home at a time. Hundreds of our committed union tradesmen and tradeswomen, along with our union mechanical contractors, will work day and night to get thousands of New Yorkers back in their homes for the holiday season. We strongly support the Bloomberg administration’s goal of activating NYC Rapid Repairs as a way to get the job done,” said Richard Roberts, Business Agent at Large for Steamfitters Local 638.
The emergency repairs program would include the restoration of heat, power and hot water and other limited repairs to protect homes from further damage. Homeowners must register with NYC Rapid Repairs at www.nyc.gov , by calling 311 or can register in person at one of seven restoration centers in Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn or the Bronx. Within 48 hours of registration an inspector will do a damage assessment on the home and the homeowner must then decide to proceed with restoration of heat, power and hot water. Single and two-family home owners must first register with FEMA and provide a FEMA number to NYC Rapid Repairs. Multi-family homeowners do not need a FEMA number.
“Our members are working as hard as they can to get heat and hot water restored for our fellow New Yorkers,” said Patrick Dolan, President of Steamfitters Local 638. “Many of our members also live in the affected areas or have family in these communities so we know firsthand how important it is begin the rebuilding process. Winter is quickly approaching so we want to establish heat for thousands of New Yorkers whose homes need it now."
