Additional Counties Now Eligible For Federal Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: September 12, 2008
Release Number: 1776-008

» More Information on Kansas Severe Storms, Flooding, and Tornadoes

TOPEKA, Kan. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Kansas Division of Emergency Management today announced that four additional counties affected by the tornadoes and storms between May 22 and June 16 are now eligible for disaster assistance.

Barton, Ellsworth, Kingman, and Lane counties have been added to the July 9 major disaster declaration. Earlier, 50 Kansas counties and entities including local governments and non-profit organizations had been designated eligible for public assistance. Applicants may be eligible for debris removal costs and reimbursed expenses for emergency protective measures taken before, during, and after the storms, and for permanent repair to facilities due to the storms.

FEMA's Public Assistance program reimburses local governments, state agencies, and certain non-profits that provide essential government services with federal funding for 75 percent of the eligible costs. The State will provide 10 percent of the eligible costs with the applicant being responsible for the remaining 15 percent.

The counties in the initial July 9, 2008, declaration are: Barber, Bourbon, Brown, Butler, Chautauqua, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Decatur, Dickinson, Edwards, Ellis, Franklin, Gove, Graham, Harper, Hodgeman, Jackson, Jewell, Kiowa, Linn, Logan, Mitchell, Montgomery, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Pratt, Republic, Riley, Rooks, Rush, Saline, Seward, Sheridan, Smith, Stafford, Sumner, Thomas, Trego, and Wallace. In August, Reno, Haskell, Kingman, and Lane counties were also made eligible for federal disaster assistance.

Federal funding is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

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: Friday, 12-Sep-2008 12:19:38