Fast and Effective Federal Response to Multiple Disasters 

Release Date: August 27, 2007
Release Number: HQ-07-176

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Powerful storms brought heavy rains, flooding and tornadoes to communities across the Midwest and Upper Midwest over the past week, as federal officials continued to work with state and local emergency managers to respond.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been assisting throughout the region by joining federal-state damage assessments, working in the state emergency operations centers, and rapidly processing requests for Presidential declarations.

“I am proud of the hard work and focused attention that FEMA has been giving to assist these hard-hit states,” said FEMA Administrator David Paulison.

Federal officials have been on-scene assisting state emergency responders to monitor and process requests for federal assistance in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, and Texas. The following represents only a few examples of how the Agency continues to respond quickly and appropriately to the needs of these states through FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Directorate and regional operations:

FEMA Disaster Assistance Directorate

Coordinated through its Washington, DC, Headquarters, FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Directorate has been mobilizing staff in anticipation of their deployment to the affected states. These FEMA assistance specialists are in contact with and are providing support to on-scene federal response operations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, and Oklahoma. They are also working side-by-side with federal and non-profit partners such as the US Small Business Administration (SBA), Health and Human Services (HHS), and the American Red Cross (ARC) on damage assessments and resource coordination.

FEMA’s Individual Assistance specialists coordinated with Minnesota counterparts over the weekend for a potential housing operation to support heavily-impacted areas around Rushford, Minnesota.  The FEMA staff also helped on-scene federal responders to identify staffing requirements, and facilitated filling those requirements with national and regional staff.

Mobile disaster recovery centers (MDRCs) were deployed rapidly to the affected states. Three are on-site in Minnesota, and will open at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug.28, to provide disaster assistance information and to assist with individuals who have applied for federal aid. Five MDRCs will arrive in Columbus, Ohio by Tuesday evening. The Disaster Assistance Directorate is coordinating with state and federal partners to provide two MDRCs to Wisconsin pending a request.

The National Processing Service Centers (NPSC) began monitoring staffing levels in anticipation to meet the need for disaster assistance. The NPCSs are the central call centers through which individuals in eligible counties register for federal disaster aid following a presidential disaster declaration for their state. The registration number is the same for every presidential declaration that includes Individual Assistance at 1-800-621-3362 (FEMA) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.

FEMA’s Individual Assistance Branch had contract inspectors on the ground within the first 24 hours of the declarations in Minnesota, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.  Customer Service Representatives were able to take registrations for assistance from individuals and contract inspectors completed the first few inspections all within the first 24 hours.

FEMA Region V

The FEMA Region V Regional Response Coordination Center (RRCC) continues to operate in concert with the emergency operations centers (EOCs) of the affected states. Region V state liaisons were dispatched to both the Minnesota and Wisconsin EOCs on Sunday, Aug. 19, to obtain situational awareness and to serve as advisors.

In Minnesota: Federal disaster aid was made available to individuals in Minnesota affected by the storms through a presidential disaster declaration issued Thursday, Aug. 23. FEMA Administrator Paulison toured the area on Thursday, Aug. 23, and Friday, Aug. 24.   FEMA Region V deployed a liaison to the state EOC on Sunday, Aug. 19, to assist in the coordination of the federal-state response.

In Wisconsin: FEMA Administrator David Paulison toured the effects of the storms on Friday, Aug. 24; and individuals in three counties are now eligible for federal disaster aid under a presidential declaration issued Aug. 26. FEMA Region V deployed a liaison to the state EOC on Sunday, Aug. 19, to ensure situational awareness after the storms had cleared the area.  

In Ohio: FEMA Region V will be conducting joint local/state/federal Individual Assistance Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) in five counties following the Aug. 20 severe storms in the north central part of Ohio. The PDAs are scheduled for Crawford, Hancock, Putnam, Richland and Wyandot Counties. Additional counties may be added to the PDA request as soon as areas are accessible. Monday, Aug. 27, FEMA received and has been assessing the Governor’s request for a presidential declaration for a quick decision. FEMA Region V continues to monitor the situation.

In Illinois: FEMA dispatched a liaison to the state EOC Friday, following Governor Blagojevich’s state disaster declarations for Cook, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties.

In Indiana: The region continues to monitor and remains in contact with the state EOC that was activated on Aug. 15, and again on Aug. 23, after another storm hit the area.

In Michigan: FEMA Region V is monitoring as the state responds to the Sleeper Lake fire and stands ready to receive state requests for assistance for last Friday’s tornado in Fenton.

FEMA Region VI

The FEMA Region VI RRCC continues to coordinate with the EOCs of the affected states to assess needs and identify resources. Region VI state liaisons were dispatched to both the Texas and Oklahoma EOCs to obtain situational awareness, and to serve as advisors.

Oklahoma: FEMA officials had already been on-scene assisting in Oklahoma in anticipation of Tropical Storm Erin’s impact throughout the region. Federal disaster aid was made available to individuals in Oklahoma who affected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding through a Presidential disaster declaration issued Friday, Aug. 24.

Texas: The state has requested Individual Assistance PDAs for six counties. A PDA for Jones County was conducted Friday, Aug. 24. Officials are conducting a PDA in Kendall County today. Public Assistance PDAs are being scheduled for 12 counties.

FEMA Region VII

The FEMA Region VII RRCC continues to coordinate with the EOCs of the affected states to assess needs and identify resources.

Missouri: FEMA Region VII has been coordinating with the state emergency management agency (SEMA) to identify potential federal response needs. They have also been in constant contact for incident updates, briefings, and to schedule potential joint damage assessments. Joint Public Assistance PDAs to assess damage to infrastructure will begin tomorrow.

Iowa: FEMA officials had been working within the state to assist with the coordination of information and assess federal needs since last week. FEMA Region VII remains in contact with the state emergency management agency for incident updates and briefings. Joint federal-state PDAs are scheduled in the hardest-hit areas of the state beginning Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Additionally, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Rock Island Division has provided trash pumps and sandbags to affected counties and the state; and closely monitored federal levees and local sponsors.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 28-Aug-2007 09:29:07