SEMA/FEMA Teams Continue Damage Assessments
Release Date: March 22, 2006
Release Number: 1631-006
» More Information on Missouri Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
Columbia, MO -- State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Joint Damage Assessment Teams are now working with City and County officials to collect information on infrastructure damages to public property throughout the state. Missouri officials may use this information to ask FEMA to add more counties to the Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance.
On March 18, President Bush approved Disaster Public Assistance for seven Missouri counties. Those counties are Bates, Christian, Howard, Jefferson, Monroe, Montgomery and Washington. After the President's action, those counties became eligible for federal funding to pay the state and affected local governments and certain private non-profit organizations 75 percent of the approved costs for emergency protective measures and debris removal.
“Last week the Joint Disaster Assessment Teams concentrated our efforts on saving lives and collecting damage information for private citizens and business damages. This information was vital for our request to add additional counties to the initial disaster declaration, which will help citizens and businesses recover from the recent tornadoes and storms,” said Department of Public Safety Director Mark James. “Now we can concentrate our efforts on collecting additional information to help our local governments recover from the storms.”
The SEMA/FEMA joint teams set up appointments with county officials, who produce maps and information on the disaster sites. County and damage assessment teams then tour locations throughout the county to collect additional on-site information.
“This assistance will go a long way toward helping the state and local governments recover from the storms,” said Tom Costello, federal coordinating officer. "Our continuing commitment is not only to help meet the recovery needs of devastated families and businesses, but to ensure that the vital community services they depend on are restored as quickly and efficiently as possible."
FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Thursday, 23-Mar-2006 10:06:20