The Federal Emergency Management Agency will inspect public infrastructure damaged in Texas County as part of severe storms, flooding and tornadoes that occurred last month, said Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe.
The announcement opens up the possibility of aid to repair the county’s road system across the 17 townships that management them.
“The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has been on the ground helping local officials document damage, collect cost estimates and substantiate the need for federal assistance,” Kehoe said. “As I observed during our visit last week, the severe storms that hit southern Missouri have caused major damage and disrupted the lives of families and businesses across the region. Initial damage reports clearly warrant a formal review by FEMA as part of the disaster declaration process.”
Joint teams are made up of representatives from FEMA, SEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and local emergency management officials. Beginning Wednesday, June 5, five teams will verify documented damage to determine if public assistance can be requested through FEMA. That allows local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies to seek federal assistance for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs, including repair and replacement of damaged roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.
This work is in addition to those beginning today for Individual Assistance, which allows eligible residents to seek federal assistance for temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses.