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Individual Assistance from FEMA for Iowa Flood Victims
This week, Iowans in Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona and Pottawattamie counties, who lost their homes and businesses in flooding along the Missouri River, learned that they can apply for Individual Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This was very good news because FEMA had initially denied this eligibility to Iowans, even while approving it for people living on the other side of the river in Nebraska. In appeals made directly to the FEMA Administrator – in person and in writing – urging that Iowans be given access to Individual Assistance, I said it’s only right that our state be treated equitably compared to other flood victims. I argued for Woodbury County to be eligible, too, and will continue to work on behalf of flood victims there. The magnitude and severity of Missouri River flooding in Iowa certainly merits maximum eligibility for federal disaster relief.
Here are four ways for Iowans to register for Individual Assistance:
1. Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Operators assist callers seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (CT). Help is available in most languages. If an individual has a speech disability or hearing loss and uses a TTY, then call 1-800-462-7585.
2. Register on-line at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
3. Register using a tablet or smart phone by visiting m.fema.gov.
4. For individuals who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
In addition to flood recovery, my efforts continue for flood prevention and control. On Tuesday morning, I testified before a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to review the 2011 floods and the condition of the nation’s flood-control systems. On Tuesday afternoon, I met one-on-one with Brigadier General John McMahon, who is in charge of the Northwest Division of the Corps that handles the portion of the Missouri River in Iowa.
Serious questions have been raised about the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has managed flows on the Missouri River. The Corps needs to fully account for its decisions of the last year, and the actions and proposals for the future management of the Missouri River need to be carefully examined to avoid a repeat of what we saw this year.
In addition to securing a long-term fix to make flood control the top priority for Corps management of the Missouri River, there’s an important immediate issue about when to evacuate water being held upstream in order to make room for next year’s runoff, while also allowing time this year for evaluation and repair of dams and water-logged levees downstream. It’s not possible to complete all of these repairs before winter sets in, so everything possible needs to be done to protect residents along the Missouri River from flooding again next year.
Friday, October 21, 2011
This week, Iowans in Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona and Pottawattamie counties, who lost their homes and businesses in flooding along the Missouri River, learned that they can apply for Individual Assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This was very good news because FEMA had initially denied this eligibility to Iowans, even while approving it for people living on the other side of the river in Nebraska. In appeals made directly to the FEMA Administrator – in person and in writing – urging that Iowans be given access to Individual Assistance, I said it’s only right that our state be treated equitably compared to other flood victims. I argued for Woodbury County to be eligible, too, and will continue to work on behalf of flood victims there. The magnitude and severity of Missouri River flooding in Iowa certainly merits maximum eligibility for federal disaster relief.
Here are four ways for Iowans to register for Individual Assistance:
1. Call 1-800-621-FEMA (3362). Operators assist callers seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (CT). Help is available in most languages. If an individual has a speech disability or hearing loss and uses a TTY, then call 1-800-462-7585.
2. Register on-line at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
3. Register using a tablet or smart phone by visiting m.fema.gov.
4. For individuals who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1-800-621-3362.
In addition to flood recovery, my efforts continue for flood prevention and control. On Tuesday morning, I testified before a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee to review the 2011 floods and the condition of the nation’s flood-control systems. On Tuesday afternoon, I met one-on-one with Brigadier General John McMahon, who is in charge of the Northwest Division of the Corps that handles the portion of the Missouri River in Iowa.
Serious questions have been raised about the way the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has managed flows on the Missouri River. The Corps needs to fully account for its decisions of the last year, and the actions and proposals for the future management of the Missouri River need to be carefully examined to avoid a repeat of what we saw this year.
In addition to securing a long-term fix to make flood control the top priority for Corps management of the Missouri River, there’s an important immediate issue about when to evacuate water being held upstream in order to make room for next year’s runoff, while also allowing time this year for evaluation and repair of dams and water-logged levees downstream. It’s not possible to complete all of these repairs before winter sets in, so everything possible needs to be done to protect residents along the Missouri River from flooding again next year.
Friday, October 21, 2011