NY Governor Cuomo declares state of emergency ahead of Irene

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Thursday declared a state of emergency to prepare for the potential impact of Hurricane Irene, which could hit the state this weekend.

The formal declaration allows the state to aid counties, cities and towns "more effectively and quickly," get help from the national Emergency Management Assistance Compact and get federal help earlier, the Democratic governor said in a statement.

"We are communicating with our federal and local partners to track the storm and to plan a coordinated response, and we will deploy resources as needed to the areas expected to be hit the hardest," Cuomo said.