President OKs Emergency Aid For Connecticut

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President George W. Bush declared Wednesday that a state of emergency exists in the State of Connecticut and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts to help people evacuated from their homes due to Hurricane Katrina.

Assistance is available to state and eligible local governments for emergency protective measures that are undertaken to save lives and protect public health and safety. Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent federal funding.

This action provides emergency assistance and funds to those areas beginning on August 29, 2005, and continuing. All eight counties of Connecticut are included in the designation.

The US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) named Kenneth L. Horak as the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

A total of 38 states and Washington, D.C., are now included in emergency declarations.