The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Missouri to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions in the area affected by severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding beginning on Dec. 22 and continuing.
According to a news release from FEMA, the president's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts that have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population. The action also provides appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety. It also lessens or averts the threat of a catastrophe in the included counties of Missouri under the declaration of federal emergency aid.
Those counties and municipalities included in receiving federal emergency aid are Audrain, Barry, Barton, Bollinger, Boone, Butler, Callaway, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cedar, Christian, Clark, Cole, Cooper, Crawford, Dallas, Dent, Douglas, Dunklin, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Howard, Howell, Iron, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Maries, Marion, McDonald, Miller, Mississippi, Moniteau, Montgomery, Morgan, New Madrid, Newton, Oregon, Osage, Ozark, Pemiscot, Perry, Phelps, Pike, Polk, Pulaski, Ralls, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, St. Charles, St. Clair, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stoddard, Stone, Taney, Texas, Vernon, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Webster, Wright counties and the independent City of St. Louis.
Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Debris removal and emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.
Michael L. Parker has been named as the federal coordinating officer for federal response operations in the affected area. Parker said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, according to the news release.
Federal Aid Programs for the State of Missouri Emergency Declaration
Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under Obama's emergency disaster declaration issued for the state of Missouri.
According to FEMA, assistance for the state and affected local governments can include as required:
• FEMA is authorized to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, or to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas.
•Â Specifically, FEMA is authorized to provide debris removal and emergency protective measures (Categories A and B), limited to direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program at 75 percent federal funding.
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, according to the news release.