In The Valley, Northampton County

Alert from Northampton County Emergency Management Services – July 28 2023


Northampton County Emergency Management Services continue to work with municipal officials to gather accurate and detailed damage assessments following the severe flash flooding event that took place on Sunday, July 16, 2023.

FEMA Joint Assessment Teams will be on-site to survey the damage within the next week, working collaboratively with PEMA, Northampton County Emergency Management Services, and municipal officials to conduct assessments for both individual assistance and public assistance. Unfortunately, assistance from the federal government is not guaranteed.

As of, Friday, July 28:

Twelve municipalities have reported municipal damages:

  • Bangor Borough (infrastructure, roadways)
  • County of Northampton (bridges)
  • East Bangor Borough (roadways)
  • Forks Township (infrastructure, roadways)
  • Lower Mount Bethel Township (roadways)
  • Palmer Township (infrastructure, parks/recreation)
  • Pen Argyl Borough (roads)
  • Plainfield Township (infrastructure, roadways)
  • Stockertown Borough (park, recreational trail)
  • Tatamy Borough (municipal park)
  • Washington Township (infrastructure, roadways)
  • West Easton (roadways)

Seven municipalities have enacted Disaster Declarations due to damages sustained:

  • Bangor Borough (7/17)
  • Forks Township (7/20)
  • Lower Mount Bethel Township (7/16)
  • Palmer Township (7/21)
  • Plainfield Township (7/18)
  • Upper Mount Bethel Township (7/20)
  • Washington Township (7/17)

Preliminary Public Assistance Damage Cost Estimate:

  • Accumulatively (county-wide)damages are currently estimated to be $7,550,000, with some of the affected municipalities still working to report their estimated costs.
  • This estimated cost to date includes:
  • $400,000 in damages to county bridges
  • $1.6 million in damages reported in Forks Township; $1 million+ in damages in Lower Mount Bethel Township; and $3.7 million in damages in Palmer Township.
  • The 2022-2023 Public Assistance County & State Threshold Figures state that Northampton County must accumulatively (municipalities and County) document a minimum of $1,389,502.44 in Public Assistance damages. In addition, the Commonwealth must document (all counties and state agencies) a minimum of $23,014,795 for any county or the Commonwealth to be awarded a Disaster Declaration.

Northampton County Emergency Management Services is receiving reports of residential damages (Individual Assistance) from over 210 households across twelve municipalities at this time:

  • Bangor Borough
  • Bushkill Township
  • East Bangor Borough
  • Forks Township
  • Lower Mount Bethel Township
  • Nazareth Borough
  • Palmer Township
  • Plainfield Township
  • Portland Borough
  • Stockertown Borough
  • Upper Mount Bethel Township
  • Washington Township

Residents and/or business owners affected by the flood events experienced on Sunday, July 16, are strongly encouraged to report damage to their local municipalities and complete the damage questionnaire on the Northampton County Emergency Management Services website http://ncem-pa.org/ to start the countywide assessment process. This will ensure that the County sends detailed damage reports to both PEMA and FEMA. All assessments received by Northampton County Emergency Management Services have been or will be entered into the Commonwealth’s damage reporter system.

A Crisis Clean-Up Hotline has also been established to connect those affected with information and possible assistance: 844-965-1386. The hotline will remain open through Friday, August 4. The Crisis Clean-Up Hotline is not affiliated with any local, county, state, or federal agency.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Brittney Waylen
Deputy Director of Administration & Public Information Officer
County of Northampton
669 Washington Street
Easton, PA 18042
https://www.northamptoncounty.org/