Local Columns
Patriot's Day storm
By Sen. Peter Bowman
As we all experienced, Patriot's Day in Maine now has a new reason for remembrance.
The original reason for this holiday, only recognized in Maine and Massachusetts, is to observe the first battles of the American Revolution at Concord and Lexington. As most will recall from history class, the United States of America gained its independence through the efforts of Revolutionaries nicknamed "Patriots." Since the 1960s, we have celebrated Patriot's Day with the Boston Marathon and the early - 10 a.m. - start of the Boston Red Sox game. Now, in 2007, we have the "Patriot's Day Storm" that battered the Maine coast.
It has almost been a month since the storm devastated our region. Yet we still see the damage and destruction. As I am sure was the case during the battles in Concord and Lexington, this storm, in parallel, has left behind disaster and distress to our Seacoast communities.
Immediately following the storm, Gov. John Baldacci declared a state of emergency in response to the disaster. Both the Maine and Federal Emergency Management Agencies assisted residents and local municipalities with much-needed resources. As a result, the following contacts are still available: for road conditions call 511; for shelter information call 211; for flooded oil tanks call the Department of Environmental Protection at (800) 482-0777; if you think your well may be contaminated call the Maine Drinking Water Program at 557-4214; for insurance questions call the Maine Bureau of Insurance at (800) 300-5000; to report flooded roads or other problems call your local emergency management or fire department; for water test kits in York County call 324-1578; to report power outages call Central Maine Power (800) 696-1000 or your local power company.
These services are available in large part thanks to the coordination and response plan of the Maine Emergency Management Agency. As stated in their mission, MEMA is in place "to lessen the effects of disaster on the lives and property of the people of the state through leadership, coordination and support in the four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery."
Their website provides up-to-date information for dealing with the results of this storm. The site provides safety tips for tree trimming, food safety, mold, alternative heat sources, drinking water, carbon monoxide safety, flood safety and record-keeping. This can all be found online at www.maine.gov/mema.
For local businesses affected by the Patriot's Day Storm, the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) has a flood disaster loan program available to aid qualified businesses. More information about the program is online at www.famemaine.com/news.asp. Other recovery loans are accessible to families whose homes were damaged by the storm. The Maine State Housing Authority offers a low-interest loan to those that qualify. For more information about the loan program, call the Maine State Housing Authority toll free at (800) 452-4603.
I applaud the residents of York County for their resilience in handling the unfortunate results from the Patriot's Day Storm. We have made progress since the initial disaster, yet more work still remains. Without a doubt, this storm is one we will remember for years to come. It is my hope, however, that next Patriot's Day we will all be able to enjoy the Boston Marathon and early start to the Red Sox game.
Senator Peter B. Bowman represents York County in Senate District 1, which includes the communities of Eliot, Kittery, Ogunquit, South Berwick and York. Bowman is chairman of the Education and Cultural Affairs Committee and serves as a member of the Insurance and Financial Services Committee.
