WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today the President declared that an emergency exists in the State of Wisconsin and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts to assist evacuees from the area struck by Hurricane Katrina and to provide emergency assistance to those areas beginning on August 29, 2005, and continuing.
The President's action makes Federal funding available to the State and all 72 counties of the State of Wisconsin.
Specifically, assistance is available to State and eligible local governments for emergency protective measures that are undertaken to save lives and protect public health and safety. Emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, will be provided at 100 percent Federal funding.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) named Janet M. Odeshoo as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.
A total of 38 states and Washington, D.C. are now included in emergency declarations.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.