History

The flooding began on March 12, 2010 after a month of record-setting rainfall. People in homes and businesses near the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick were among the first to be forced to leave. Many of these buildings remain unlivable; some are condemned. In the weeks that followed the initial flooding, more than 25,000 homes in Rhode Island were impacted by this unprecedented flooding disaster.

Severe rainstorms and flooding, which were historic in nature, occurred from March 12 through April 1, 2010. The first major rainstorm, which was accompanied by hurricane force gusts, occurred from March 12-15. This storm primarily caused flooding of the Pawtuxet River, and caused damage along the river's path in the towns and cities of Kent County (Warwick, West Warwick, East Greenwich, West Greenwich and Coventry) and the City of Cranston.

On March 15, the Pawtuxet River hit record levels cresting at 14.98 feet. (Flood stage is 9 feet.) This storm and resulting flooding was followed by a second major rainstorm from March 29-30, which caused record flooding from rivers and groundwater throughout many parts of the state.

The flooding continues
The height of the flooding happened from March 30 - April 1 in Kent, Providence and Newport Counties, and a few days later in the southern part of the state, particularly in the town of Westerly and the county of Bristol. The impact of the flooding continued well beyond the end of the rain period. Even when rivers eventually retreated to their banks, in many areas the water table remained higher than the lowest levels of people's homes and businesses.

Presidential Major Disaster Declaration issued by President Obama in response to the Governor's request
President Barack Obama issued Presidential Major Disaster Declaration FEMA 1894 DR RI for Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington Counties, Rhode Island on March 29, 2010. On April 2, President Obama extended the declaration to include Bristol County, RI. The extended declaration made the entire state of Rhode Island eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Overview

Emergency preparedness in Rhode Island has been evolving. The September 11, 2001 and Hurricane Katrina disasters brought nationwide focus to the importance of disaster planning and response. Following the historic flood in Rhode Island last spring, crews from the State and local emergency management agencies responded quickly and efficiently, offering guidance and assistance to citizens who had been affected by the flood. The assistance was immediate and involved providing basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. At the time, it was understood that no one is fully prepared to deal with the overwhelming effects of a flood, and that a significant percentage of affected Rhode Islanders would eventually experience some physical and emotional symptoms.

This led to the development of a program to help individuals who need longer-term assistance. The plan was to create a program targeting disaster relief and recovery for individuals most directly impacted in the declared communities, as well as those who provide rescue, response and recovery assistance. Services would be tailored to the needs of a number of culturally and/or demographically specific vulnerable and specialized populations.

The creation of RI HOPE (Helping Other People in Emergencies)
RI HOPE is a state-wide, federally-funded, community-based program administered by the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals. It was created to provide non-monetary aid to Rhode Island residents and businesses affected by the historic flood last spring. RI HOPE assistance is available for Rhode Island's flood victims through April of 2011. Should another disaster occur in the future, RI HOPE may be activated again to help with disaster recovery.