Gov. Blunt Announces Disaster Assistance for Missourians in Seven Counties Impacted by Flooding

Gov. Matt Blunt today announced citizens and businesses in seven Missouri counties are now eligible to receive federal disaster assistance through the Individual Assistance Program. He is also asking FEMA to quickly add Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation to the existing federal disaster declaration for counties impacted by the current flooding. President Bush approved Missouri's request for federal assistance on June 25th.

Federal funding is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis in the counties of Andrew, Atchison, Buchanan, Cape Girardeau, Clark, Holt, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Mississippi, New Madrid, Nodaway, Pemiscot, Perry, Pike, Platte, Ralls, St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, and Scott and the independent city of St. Louis for emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, the White House said in a statement.

R. David Paulison, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Michael L. Karl as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the affected area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and additional counties may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed in the affected areas.

"Missourians have been battling floods in northwest Missouri along the Missouri River and in northeast Missouri along the Mississippi River for the entire month of June," Gov. Blunt said. "I appreciate the federal government's approval of Individual Assistance to citizens and businesses in Clark, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Pike, Ralls and St. Charles Counties."

Citizens will be able to either call FEMA's telephone registration number 1-800-621-3362 or register online.

"The Preliminary Damage Assessment Teams were able to document losses to our citizens, businesses and local governments. I am asking for quick approval of my request for help to reimburse local governments for the lifesaving and emergency protective actions they have taken to keep Missourians safe," Gov. Blunt said. "As floodwaters recede, [the state's emergency management agency] will continue to gather additional damage information from counties and conduct additional joint preliminary damage assessments."

Gov. Blunt is requesting Public Assistance to reimburse local governments for their emergency protection flood fighting actions and to repair infrastructure in Andrew, Atchison, Clark, Holt, Lewis, Lincoln, Marion, Pike, Ralls and St. Charles Counties.

At Gov. Blunt's direction, the State Emergency Operations Center has coordinated state resources to assist local governments with their emergency protection actions ranging from securing sandbags, mass feeding and sheltering operations, security, and sandbagging missions with the Missouri National Guard.