Elkhart County OK’d for FEMA funds

May 06--ELKHART COUNTY -- Local governments and residents of the flood damaged areas of the county will get a little relief now that Federal Emergency Management Agency funds have been cleared for the state.

In a press release from FEMA received Saturday afternoon, the agency announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Indiana to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding from Feb.14 to March 4.

The order authorizing the funds was signed by President Donald Trump. According to FEMA, the order makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Carroll, Clark, Elkhart, Floyd, Harrison, Jefferson, Lake, Marshall, and St. Joseph counties.

"There were hundreds of hours of work by county officials and staff to prepare the application," Elkhart County Commissioner Mike Yoder said in an interview Saturday.

Yoder said it was good news for the community in that the county and local governments will be able to recoup some of the money already spent on flood recovery. Local residents who were also impacted by the flooding will also likely see some federal funds.

While this is a relief to some extent, Yoder said he was frustrated by how long the process took.

"It's a good thing we live in a community that steps up and helps one another right away," he said.

In a statement issued soon after the disaster assistance was announced, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb thanked the President for signing the declaration.

"I saw firsthand the devastation in the northern and southern parts of our state as a result of these unrelenting storms," Holcomb said in a public statement. "We're grateful that President Trump quickly approved this disaster declaration to allow additional support and assistance for the Hoosier families and communities that were hurt the most."

On Friday, US Congressman Joe Donnelly and US Senator Todd Young, along with others in the Indiana delegation, sent a letter to Trump urging his approval of the disaster declaration. In a joint press release, Donnelly and Young said:

.S. Senator Joe Donnelly, along with U.S. Senator Todd Young, today led the Indiana delegation in urging President Trump to approve Governor Holcomb's request for a Major Disaster Declaration for Indiana following severe storms and flooding that impacted the state between February and March. The delegation's effort follows the state of Indiana's request to the President earlier this week. The declaration would provide necessary federal assistance to Indiana's counties affected and significantly improve recovery time.

"The storms and flooding inflicted extensive damage across the state, including significant damage to homes, businesses, utilities, infrastructure, and transportation networks," said a portion of the letter. "We urge you to expeditiously consider and approve the Governor's request for a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Indiana. We believe that timely federal assistance is necessary and will significantly improve Indiana's recovery time following this disaster."

More than 1,800 homes were affected and an assessment estimated that individual damages exceeded $19.8 million, according to Donnelly and Young. Others signing the letter included Indiana's Congressional representatives Jim Banks, Susan Brooks, Larry Bucshon, André Carson, Trey Hollingsworth, Luke Messer, Todd Rokita, Pete J. Visclosky, and Jackie Walorski. Donnelly and Walorski personally toured flooded areas in Elkhart and Goshen soon after the disaster.

FEMA assistance comes in two parts. It can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured losses and and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available to state agencies, local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by severe storms.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

David G. Samaniego has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Samaniego said additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Disaster assistance applicants, who have a speech disability or hearing loss and use TTY, should call 1-800-462-7585 directly; for those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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