18 Jul President Trump Declares Major Disaster in Missouri

Flooding may have subsided, but that doesn’t mean that life has returned to normal for many Missouri residents impacted by the heavy rains that pounded the state in May. Damages from the flooding left many businesses and residents wondering how they were going to pay to fix their homes and businesses, which amounts to millions of dollars statewide.

The Governor of Missouri, Eric Greitens, requested that President Trump declare a major disaster for the state. The request was granted on June 2nd and allows local government and nonprofit organizations to apply for assistance from FEMA to repair damages incurred during the storm. The approval gives the state $8.9 million in additional funding for grant assistance along with more than $35 million to cover flood insurance claims.

Areas of the state were hammered with tornadoes, winds, and severe storms for nearly two weeks in the period from April 28th to May 11th, 2017. The assistance is limited to 48 specific counties that faced the largest amount of damages in the request submitted by the governor. The list of counties eligible for funding for individuals are as follows: Bollinger, Butler, Carter, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Howell, Jasper, Jefferson, Madison, Maries, McDonald, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Phelps, Pulaski, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, St. Louis, Stone, Taney, and Texas.

Assistance comes in many forms to suit a variety of situations. Individuals may receive housing or rent assistance for up to 18 months and funds may be available to repair the home and replace damaged items to make it habitable again. Other needs including household items, storage facilities, vehicles, child care or medical and dental care are also included. For repairs that are not covered by a homeowner insurance policy, it is possible to take out a low-interest disaster loan to cover the costs. Legal advice, housing issues, consumer protection, social security, and counseling services are additional areas where funding has been allocated for those affected.

Assistance extends beyond the individual level is available in 48 counties to local governments and non-profits to repair bridges, roads, other public buildings and the cost of emergency services during the time period. Governor Greitens estimated that the total costs of this destruction amounted to more than $58 million.

After the request was approved by President Trump, Greitens stated in a public announcement “This declaration is important. It means that federal assistance is available for people in areas hit hardest by the flooding. It means we can help families who lost their homes. People will be able to apply for temporary housing, help with repairs, and get some household essentials. Businesses can get some help to get back on their feet and fix the damage to their properties. Our counties and towns will be able to get some money to repair and rebuild.” He also added that local government, the federal government, and individual citizens will all be working together to repair damages as a cooperative measure.

Individuals who need the funds need to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency in order to receive assistance with repairs and other associated costs. The sooner that people register the faster assistance can be distributed. Residents can either register for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by making a call to 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). The phone lines will be available for access seven days a week from the hours of 7 a.m. to 10:00 p.m to give flexibility and time for those needing the additional help to register. For faster and more efficient claims individuals are advised to continue to take photographs of the damages and all other documentation to streamline the process.