Vermont Disaster Group Gets New Chair

The organization that oversees the private Vermont Disaster Relief Fund has a new chair.

The Vermont Long Term Disaster Recovery Group says that Chris Graff has succeeded David Coates, who was named to lead the panel by Gov. Peter Shumlin shortly after Tropical Storm Irene hit Vermont in August 2011.

Since Irene, the Disaster Relief Fund has raised more than $7 million to meet the unmet needs of disaster survivors – after federal and state assistance, private insurance, aid from regional and local recovery groups and private foundations.

The group provided assistance to about 400 cases from 2011 flooding and another 20 cases stemming from 2013 flooding. A number of Irene-related cases remain pending. The fund will remain in place for future disasters.