President Declares Major Disaster For Kansas 

Release Date: January 7, 2007
Release Number: HQ-07-001

» More Information on Kansas Severe Winter Storm

» 2007 Region VII News Releases

» En Español

WASHINGTON - The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for the state of Kansas to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period of December 28-31, 2006.

FEMA Director David Paulison said federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in the counties of Cheyenne, Clark, Comanche, Decatur, Edwards, Ellis, Finney, Ford, Gove, Graham, Grant, Gray, Greeley, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Jewell, Kearny, Kiowa, Lane, Logan, Meade, Morton, Ness, Norton, Osborne, Pawnee, Phillips, Rawlins, Rooks, Rush, Russell, Scott, Seward, Sheridan, Sherman, Smith, Stafford, Stanton, Stevens, Thomas, Trego, Wallace, and Wichita for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance.

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

Paulison named Thomas J. Costello as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Costello said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed in the affected areas.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

Last Modified: Monday, 08-Jan-2007 09:07:28