FEMA Helps NJ Towns Recover From Disaster [POLL/AUDIO]

Superstorm Sandy threatened more than just homes. In addition to the many assistance programs available to help people recover from disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) offers a helping hand to communities, county and state agencies and some private non-profit organizations that suffered storm and flooding damage.

"We will be helping them not only for the cost they incurred not only with emergency services work, but also preparing all the broken and damaged public infrastructure" said Scott Sanders, a spokesman with FEMA.

For approved projects, FEMA will pay 75 percent of the eligible cost, and the remaining 25 percent will be divided between the state and local community or agency. These projects may include such things as debris removal, emergency protective services related to the storms and repairing or replacing damaged public facilities.

The latter category includes eligible schools, libraries and other public buildings, and repairing roads, bridges, water control facilities, utilities and recreational facilities.

"This will include building roads and bridges and power transmission lines, parks, schools, water and sewage treatment plants, its going to be a long term process" said Sanders.

Certain private non-profit organizations may qualify for assistance to restore certain types of facilities that include educational, utility, emergency, medical, custodial care and other facilities that provide essential government types of services.

"We will remain in the state until early next year, possibly until next summer to complete a lot of this restoration, these are long-term projects that will take awhile to rebuild in New Jersey."