Statement

Today, Governor Pat McCrory signed an executive order declaring a state of disaster for the Town of Kitty Hawk to help the community recover from devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy last fall.

"While much of North Carolina was spared from Hurricane Sandy's wrath, Dare County, particularly Kitty Hawk, was hard hit," McCrory said. "We want to do everything we can to help them recover."

The Type I state disaster declaration enables impacted communities to seek state funds to recoup costs spent responding to or recovering from a disaster. In this case, the town of Kitty Hawk will receive state financial assistance to reimburse them for emergency protective measures and debris removal. State funds will cover 75 percent of the costs; local funds will pay for the balance of those expenses. In order to qualify for state funding assistance, local government disaster-related expenses must exceed an established threshold. The town of Kitty Hawk surpassed that threshold.

Hurricane Sandy edged past the state October 27 through 30, damaging dozens of homes and businesses in Dare County. After the storm passed, damage assessment teams from North Carolina Emergency Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration worked with local officials to survey the damage. A U.S. SBA loan center opened last fall to help homeowners, renters and business owners recover from the hurricane.