President Announces Emergency Declaration For Arkansas
Release Date: January 29, 2009
Release Number: HQ-09-011
» More Information on Arkansas Severe Winter Storm
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that Federal emergency aid has been made available for Arkansas to help Federal aid to help supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period January 26, 2009, and continuing.
FEMA Acting Administrator Nancy Ward said the assistance was authorized under an emergency disaster declaration issued for the state by President Obama. The President's action makes federal funding, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas. Specifically, FEMA is authorized to provide emergency protective measures (Category B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent Federal funding.
The assistance is for the counties of Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Clay, Cleburne, Conway, Craighead, Crawford, Crittenden, Cross, Faulkner, Franklin, Fulton, Garland, Greene, Independence, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lawrence, Logan, Lonoke, Madison, Marion, Mississippi, Monroe, Montgomery, Newton, Perry, Poinsett, Polk, Pope, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, St. Francis, Saline, Scott, Searcy, Sebastian, Sharp, Stone, Van Buren, Washington, White, Woodruff, and Yell.
Ward named W. Michael Moore as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Moore said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are complete.
FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism and man-made disasters.
Last Modified: Thursday, 29-Jan-2009 11:03:55