FEMA Authorizes Funds To Help Fight Boxelder Fire In South Dakota
Release Date: July 22, 2007
Release Number: R8-07-019
» More Information on Boxelder Fire
» 2007 Region VIII News Releases
DENVER, Colo. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs for the Boxelder Fire in Lawrence County.
FEMA Director David Paulison approved South Dakota's request for a federal Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) Saturday evening, within hours of receiving the state's request for FEMA assistance. At the time of the state's request the fire had burned approximately 700 acres and had resulted in the evacuation of 100 residents from the town of Nemo. The authorization makes FEMA funding available to pay 75 percent of the state's eligible firefighting costs under an approved grant for managing, mitigating and controlling designated fires.
Fire Management Assistance Grants are provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund and made available by FEMA to assist in fighting fires that threaten to cause a major disaster. Eligible items can include expenses for field camps; equipment use, repair and replacement; mobilization and demobilization activities; and tools, materials and supplies. These grants do not provide assistance to individual home or business owners and do not cover other infrastructure damage caused by the fire.
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: Sunday, 22-Jul-2007 09:57:42