Illinois Snow Emergency Update
Release Date: February 26, 1999
Release Number: 3134-06
» More Information on Illinois Winter Snow Storm
CHICAGO, Ill. -- FEMA Region V officials are providing additional updated information on the Illinois Snow Emergency Declaration. The following details will help local officials and Illinois residents understand how the federal assistance process works for this situation.
- FEMA was in contact with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) when the snow began to accumulate Saturday, Jan. 2.
- On Friday morning, Jan. 8, Gov. Jim Edgar asked for emergency federal assistance for the severe winter storm, which posed a threat to public health and safety in 34 counties of Illinois.
- President Clinton approved an Emergency Declaration that same day after reviewing FEMA's analysis of the request. FEMA coordinates the federal response when a disaster is declared and provides federal funds released by the President's declaration to the affected state.
- Director Witt designated 34 counties eligible for federal funding to pay 75 percent of the eligible cost of emergency protective measures. These counties in central and northern Illinois had met the assistance criteria by recording "record" or "near record" levels of snowfall and the event was of such severity and magnitude that the response requirements exceeded state and local capabilities.
- Fourteen counties were added to the emergency declaration, after FEMA officials reviewed additional snowstorm information from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and other sources. Ten were added on Jan. 20, one on Jan. 28, and three on February 5. Christian County was added on Jan. 26, bringing the total to 50 counties.
- The eligible counties now include: Adams, Brown, Bureau, Calhoun, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Cook, DeWitt, DuPage, Ford, Fulton, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Knox, LaSalle, Lake, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion, Warren, Will, and Woodford.
- The emergency declaration is designed to supplement state and local recovery efforts which have been ongoing -- that is to provide reimbursement to state agencies, counties, cities, towns or authorized public entities, and certain private nonprofit organizations, who performed specific emergency snow removal activities. Under the emergency declaration, federal disaster assistance is not available to individuals or business owners.
- FEMA will provide reimbursement through IEMA to governmental units, communities, and certain nonprofit organizations for 75 percent of the total eligible costs of snow removal equipment operations, contract personnel and equipment, and overtime for permanent personnel. The State and/or local governments will assume the remaining non-federal share of costs.
- Related emergency protective measures such as sanding and salting, search and rescue, shelter operations, and police and fire departments' response may also be eligible for reimbursement.
- FEMA will provide emergency funding for a 48-hour period. Applicants will designate the 48-hour period to be used for their respective snow removal assistance.
- Any request for extending the 48-hour time period for snow assistance will be evaluated on a county-by-county basis. The request must demonstrate that a record snowfall was exceeded by an extraordinary amount, or additional significant snowfall followed the record or near-record event, or extraordinary wind driven snow/drifting occurred in the requested county.
- Potential eligible applicants were contacted and attended Applicants' Briefing, scheduled in the affected areas. These information briefings are designed to walk applicants through the assistance process. State and federal representatives explained what costs are eligible, how to report equipment/personnel information, payment procedures, and answered any applicants' questions.
- IEMA and FEMA stressed the importance of communities' record keeping in this type of declaration where federal funds will reimburse specific costs. Having accurate, well-documented equipment and personnel time records will speed up the reimbursement process.
- Following the Applicants' Briefing, an individual point of contact will be identified for each applicant.
- Officials who have immediate questions should contact their local emergency management director who will coordinate their request with IEMA and FEMA. They may contact IEMA at 217 782-7860.
- Director Witt named Lawrence L. Bailey, of FEMA's regional office in Chicago, to coordinate federal recovery operations in the state. FEMA will have approximately 40 personnel assigned to work in partnership with IEMA and individual community officials. To date, more than 2,000 requests for public assistance have been received.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 02-Dec-2003 10:30:40