In Ravaged West Liberty, Volunteers Drive Recovery

In Ravaged West Liberty, Volunteers Drive Recovery 

Release Date: March 22, 2012
Release Number: 4057-028

» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

WEST LIBERTY, Ky. — Tears well in the corners of Anna Roller’s eyes as she watches Mennonite volunteers clear debris from her once heavily-wooded property.

Anna Roller considers herself lucky.

The tornados and storms that destroyed most of the business district and many homes in this tiny Kentucky town damaged or destroyed over 2800 homes across the Commonwealth. The storms left the Rollers’ house mostly intact but crushed their garage and turned a hardwood-studded hillside into a pile of kindling.

The folks helping Anna Roller are volunteer members of a Mennonite Disaster Services team using bobcats, tractors and log skidders to remove splintered trees from the Rollers’ property and other damaged homes in West Liberty.

Mennonite Disaster Services is one of the more than 250 volunteer agencies that rushed to aid West Liberty and Kentucky following the tornado. FEMA helps the Commonwealth of Kentucky match volunteers with storm-damaged areas where help is needed.

“The volunteer response has truly been amazing. So many people stepping up to help their neighbors and strangers helping strangers,” said Jim Garrett, Volunteer Coordinator for Kentucky Emergency Management. He continued, “This is just a testament to the goodness of the American Spirit!”

“Seeing volunteers come from all over the country to help people in Kentucky is one of the many rewards of my job,” said Libby Turner, the federal officer in charge of recovery operations in Kentucky. “It is truly heart-warming to see how many folks want to help people who are hurting.”

West Liberty University near Wheeling, W.Va., provided transportation and equipment for a group of their students to come to the town in Kentucky that shares the name of their college and help the town begin its long recovery.

“Helping people who need us gives us all joy,” said Peggy Morris, an 80-year old from Cadiz, Ky., and a member of a Kentucky Baptist Convention team stacking broken trees and limbs left by the tornado in the yard of another of the almost 850 homes damaged or destroyed in Morgan County and West Liberty.

Dee Bost, Farah Price and Carolyn Kenney and six other members of their church in Searcy, Ark., left at 5 a.m. the Sunday morning following the West Liberty tornado. After a 10-hour drive, they settled in to help the people of West Liberty get their lives back together.

“I don’t know what I would have done if these folks had not come to help us clean up,” said Anna Roller. “I really don’t know how we would have been able to get up all the trees and trash.”

Follow this link to FEMA video:
www.fema.gov/medialibrary/media_records/7806.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Mar-2012 11:57:00

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In Ravaged West Liberty, Volunteers Drive Recovery

Seven More Kentucky Counties Designated For Disaster Assistance

Seven More Kentucky Counties Designated For Disaster Assistance 

Release Date: March 22, 2012
Release Number: 4057-026

» More Information on Kentucky Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Federal Emergency Management Agency has announced that the disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky has been amended to include an additional seven counties that will receive Public Assistance. The declaration is for damage caused by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding occurring Feb. 29 through March 3.

On March 16, Kentucky’s disaster declaration was amended to add Public Assistance for seven counties: Grant, Laurel, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, and Morgan. The amendment announced today by FEMA provides Public Assistance for Ballard, Johnson, Kenton, Larue, Pendleton, Trimble and Wolfe counties.

Public Assistance is available to the Commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in designated counties on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair of damaged, or replacement of destroyed, taxpayer-owned infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, utilities, schools and similar facilities.

Individual Assistance has been awarded to 21 Kentucky counties previously. Individual Assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. Also low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration are available to cover residential and business losses not fully compensated by insurance.

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

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Mar-2012 11:49:53

Original article: 

Seven More Kentucky Counties Designated For Disaster Assistance

Disaster Recovery Centers Opening Thursday In Hamilton, McMinn And Monroe Counties

Disaster Recovery Centers Opening Thursday In Hamilton, McMinn And Monroe Counties 

Release Date: March 21, 2012
Release Number: 4060-002

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, and Flooding

ATLANTA, Ga. — The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Emergency Management Agency announce the openings of disaster recovery centers in Hamilton, McMinn and Monroe counties to help those whose homes or businesses were affected by the severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and flooding Feb. 29 – March 2. The centers will open at noon Thursday, March 22 and will remain open that day until 6 p.m.

Beginning Friday, March 23, center hours will be 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. The centers will remain open until further notice.

Representatives from the state, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other agencies will be at the center to explain assistance programs and help survivors register for disaster aid.

The disaster recovery centers will be located at the following addresses:

Hamilton County

Chattanooga Fire Dept. Station #7
6911 Discovery Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37416

McMinn/Polk counties

Etowah Rural Fire and Rescue
1018 Tennessee Ave.
Etowah, TN 37331

Monroe County

Tellico Plains Community Center
132 Bank St.
Tellico Plains, TN 37385

If possible, before visiting a disaster recovery center, people with storm losses should register with FEMA by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), which is video relay service accessible. Applicants using TTY can call 800-462-7585. Help is available in most languages and lines are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week until further notice.

Survivors can also register by computer online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. If using a smartphone or tablet, register at m.fema.gov.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include grants for rental assistance and home repairs, low-interest loans from the SBA to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help recover from the effects of the disaster.

For more information, visit www.TNEMA.org and www.FEMA.gov/assistance.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Last Modified: Thursday, 22-Mar-2012 10:50:21

This article:  

Disaster Recovery Centers Opening Thursday In Hamilton, McMinn And Monroe Counties

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