FEMA to reconsider disaster assistance for Barton County, 20 other counties

(From Gov. Mike Parson)

Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) agreed to the state of Missouri’s request to consider expanding last week’s federal disaster declaration. FEMA agreed to reevaluate the request for inclusion of 21 counties that were denied federal assistance on July 9. FEMA agreed to do the following:

-Conduct new damage assessment with the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA)and local officials in counties where newly identified damaged homes have been found;

-Use ground teams to more fully assess areas that had previously been reviewed only by helicopter; and

-Reevaluate insurance levels and income levels as factors in the ability to recover in some of the affected counties.

The 21 counties are Adair, Barton, Callaway, Christian, Clark, Cooper, Dallas, Douglas, Gasconade, Grundy, Harrison, Hickory, Howard, Jefferson, Laclede, Lewis, Macon, Polk, Saline, St. Louis, and Ste. Genevieve. All 21 counties had been denied assistance in President Trump’s July 9 federal disaster declaration.

FEMA has also agreed to conduct joint damage assessments with SEMA and local officials in Cape Girardeau, Marion, Newton, and McDonald counties. These four counties have not previously been assessed.

FEMA said the damage assessments would begin on July 23.

Governor Mike Parson said he appreciated FEMA moving forward with the state’s requests, which were made on July 16.

“Missourians are still hurting and working hard to rebuild and get their lives back on track as a result of the flooding and severe storms that began impacting our state back in March,” Governor Parson said. “The residents of these 25 counties deserve prompt action based on a complete assessment of all the damage they’ve sustained and the circumstances affecting their efforts to recover.”

If approved, FEMA Individual Assistance would allow eligible residents to seek federal assistance for temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses as a result of the flooding and storms.

President Trump’s July 9 disaster declaration was for flooding and severe storms and made the federal Individual Assistance program available to eligible residents in Andrew, Atchison, Boone, Buchanan,Carroll, Chariton, Cole, Greene, Holt, Jackson, Jasper, Lafayette, Lincoln, Livingston, Miller, Osage,Pike, Platte, Pulaski, and St. Charles counties.

As of July 17, FEMA has approved more than 500 households for Individual Assistance grants and provided more than $2.3 million directly to the survivors to help with their recovery.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program has paid more than $18 million to Missouri policyholders for flood claims filed since March.

To register for FEMA assistance, go to www.DisasterAssistance.gov or register by phone by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362). Telephone registration is available 7 a.m. - 10 p.m. (local time), seven days a week.