Jefferson City, Missouri – President Donald J. Trump has declared two major disasters in Missouri, giving Governor Mike Kehoe the go-ahead to get federal help for areas that were hit hard by storms, tornadoes, and floods in the state in the past several months. Families and local governments that are still trying to recover from the extreme weather that happened between March 14 and 15 and March 30 and April 8 would be happy to hear this long-awaited news.
The Governor’s office said that the disaster declarations make a lot of federal resources available. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in Missouri will cooperate closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to organize recovery activities. The funding will help people fix their houses, buy new things, and pay for other essentials. It will also help local governments fix up roads and bridges that were destroyed.
Individual Assistance is now available to people in 18 counties, including Bollinger, Butler, and Jefferson, for the storms that hit on March 14 and 15. People who lost possessions or had their homes destroyed in these locations can now get help from FEMA.
Support could include money for interim accommodation, repairs, or even getting new important things. People who want to apply should do so online, over the phone, or using the FEMA app. They should also send in proof of their losses, such as photos. Most programs need applications to be turned in within 60 days of the declaration, so people who need help should act quickly.
Federal help is not just limited to individuals. The Public Assistance program, which is also allowed under the declarations, lets communities and counties get money back for emergency maintenance and fixing public property. A total of 20 counties can take part in the event on March 14 and 15, and 25 counties will get help for damages caused by storms that occurred between March 30 to April 8. State officials have already found tens of millions of dollars in eligible expenses that have come up because of these incidents.
The U.S. Small Business Administration also offers low-interest disaster loans to help both homes and business owners who were harmed by the storms. Grants for medical and funeral costs, counseling, and disaster unemployment assistance are among other types of federal relief.
Governor Kehoe expressed gratitude to everyone for their help and underlined how important it is for the federal government to engage with states. He also talked about the job that Missouri’s congressional delegation does to support the state.
“This is important and very welcome news for the Missouri families and communities hit hard by the devastating storms and tornadoes that began in March and have affected so much of our state,” Governor Kehoe said.
At the same time, pleas for federal help with more recent disasters, like storms on April 29 and May 16, are still pending. The state is still working with FEMA and volunteer groups to meet short- and long-term needs, and damage assessments are still going on. Residents who want to learn more about the rebuilding process should go to Missouri’s disaster recovery website or get in touch with local groups like the United Way or the American Red Cross.
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As Missouri goes forward, state and federal officials remain committed to helping every town that was affected by these unusual weather occurrences. They want to make sure that families and local governments have the resources they need to rebuild and get back on their feet.
Counties eligible for federal assistance:
The President’s action makes Individual Assistance available to eligible residents in 18 counties impacted by the March 14-15 storms, including: Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Wayne, Webster, and Wright counties.
For the March 30-April 8 storms, public assistance is available in the following 25 counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Maries, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Vernon, Wayne, and Webster.
