FEMA Approves $4.8 Million For Debris Removal In Jackson And Madison County, Tennessee 

Release Date: September 4, 2003
Release Number: R4-03-160

Atlanta, GA -- The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the approval of more money to help Jackson and Madison County, Tennessee. The agency approved two grants totaling $4,874,298 to pay for debris removal resulting from the severe storms and tornadoes that struck the Jackson, Tenn., area May 4.

Michael D. Brown, FEMA director and under secretary for the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, a part of the Department of Homeland Security, said the grants "represent a part of our mission to ensure that communities are able to get up and running quickly following disasters. Grants like this make that happen."

The first grant of $1,696,198 was for emergency removal of debris. FEMA will pay $1,272,148 as the federal share and the remaining one-fourth will be paid by the city of Jackson, Tennessee.

The larger grant of $3,178,100 was for subsequent debris removal work throughout the tornado-ravaged community. The total federal share for that award is $2,383,575, with the city paying the remainder.

The Jackson area was not only severely damaged by tornadoes, but had other damages from accompanying heavy rains and flooding.

FEMA's public assistance program makes funds available for reimbursement of disaster-related damages to state and local governments and certain non-profit entities that provides essential services to a community. Debris removal is one of several components of this program. Some of the others include emergency work, repair or replacement of public buildings and repair or replacement of other governmental facilities.

On March 1, 2003, FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA's continuing mission within the new department is to lead the effort to prepare the nation for all hazards and effectively manage federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates proactive mitigation activities, trains first responders, and manages Citizen Corps, the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration.

Last Modified: Friday, 05-Sep-2003 09:28:15