The Fayette Tribune, Oak Hill, W.Va.

Local News

July 4, 2012

Individual disaster relief from FEMA highly unlikely

By C.V. Moore Register-Herald Photographer

FAYETTEVILLE — The chances of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stepping in to provide individual disaster relief after Friday’s storm are slim, according to Rep. Nick Rahall, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and West Virginia Homeland Security Director Jimmy Gianato.

FEMA is not on the ground working with county agencies as they did, for example, during the 2001 flood in West Virginia.

No federal program is available to reimburse individuals for spoiled food, as some rumors have speculated.

The agency is, however, working behind the scenes with the state to provide water, generators, ice and other life saving supplies.

This assistance was triggered by President Barack Obama’s emergency declaration on Sunday morning.

The goods are being distributed at the county level by the state office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Direct FEMA assistance to individuals and households is triggered only by a disaster declaration, which has not been issued.

Gianato says his office is “looking very closely” to see if the state meets the requirements to receive disaster assistance.

Counties must sustain $1 million in damage to qualify.

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin says West Virginia reaching the threshold of damages is “highly unlikely.”

Only if debris removal costs for the Department of Highways runs into the millions would that threshold be approached.

Preliminary damage assessments for all affected counties will give officials a better idea as to whether the state has reached the required threshold, but such assessments are logistically difficult, says Gianato.

Requests for disaster declarations are made by state governors, usually after damage assessments are complete.

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