We made out fine but the destruction around the state is bad and historic.
WARWICK, R.I. -- U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is meeting with state and local officials at T.F. Green Airport late Friday morning, after taking a helicopter tour over the most devastated areas in Rhode Island.
Tens of thousands of properties were impacted by the historic flood -- which the National Weather Service said was a "200-year event," said governor's spokeswoman Amy Kempe. About 4,000 workers were affected when their businesses were closed. It's unknown how many will file for emergency unemployment benefits.
Three helicopters carried the party of national, state and local officials over Rhode Island, including Governor Carcieri, Adjutant General Robert Bray, U.S. Reps. James Langevin and Patrick Kennedy, U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, and officials from FEMA and the state Emergency Management Agency.
Napolitano is calling the scope of the damage in flooded Rhode Island "impressive" and says she's considering a plea by state officials who want more federal aid.
During a brief conversation with President Obama on Thursday evening, Carcieri was told that the federal government will make FEMA resources available to Rhode Island, Kempe said. What's needed is being determined by state agencies now, she said. While states are asked to pay 20 percent of the amount of disaster money, Kempe said that Rhode Island was asking for a waiver, due to the scope of the disaster.
FEMA is already setting up six disaster relief stations for people to apply for federal aid, Kempe said. The first is now set up at Lowes at 555 Greenwich Ave., which will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week, including Easter Sunday.