4/1/09 Houma Today (LA): Feds might pay for flood damage

Feds might pay for flood damage

By Naomi King

Houma Today

Published: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 11:36 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 11:36 a.m.

HOUMA – Two teams of state and federal emergency officials surveyed flooding damage this week to determine if people in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes impacted by last week’s severe thunderstorms will get recovery help from FEMA.

The initial reports they prepare will be sent to the state Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, where officials will decide whether to ask President Obama for a declaration of emergency.

If the parishes qualify for such a designation, homeowners, business owners and renters will be able to apply for financial help through FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program. That assistance program helps victims of natural disasters pay for temporary housing and repairs not covered by insurance. The program will also help replace damaged furniture, clothing and vehicles.

It will also allow governments and school boards in both parishes to get federal help for damages to schools and overtime for workers.

“I’m hoping that FEMA finds enough damage out there,” said Earl Eues, Terrebonne’s Emergency Preparedness director. “We’re at the mercy of FEMA … to make that determination.”

“Without a presidential declaration, we can’t get individual assistance,” said Chris Boudreaux, Lafourche’s emergency director. “We’re just moving it forward to get the assistance that the citizens need.”

Terrebonne officials received 240 reports of flooding since Thursday. More than 130 people reported flood damage in Lafourche. Across the two parishes, 10 schools were damaged by wind, rain and floodwaters.

Terrebonne and Lafourche are two of six parishes that asked the state and federal government for recovery help.

The teams making damage reports are made up of representatives from FEMA, the state emergency office and the federal Small Business Administration. Each parish has also tasked its flood-plain official to lead surveying in their respective parishes.

There’s no timeline for when the decision will be made, FEMA officials said.

The state has not acted quickly enough to help residents recover, said Ben Smilowitz, founder and executive director at the Connecticut-based nonprofit Disaster Accountability Project.

“I don’t know why it’s taken the governor so long, if Gov. Jindal is all about efficiency,” Smilowitz said. “There should be leadership from the state telling FEMA what the local needs are.”

The amount of damage has to reach $5.5 million statewide before the governor will ask for a federal emergency declaration, said Veronica Mosgrove, spokeswoman for the state Office of Emergency Preparedness. When asked why Jindal did not declare a state-level emergency, she said, “The parish did not ask for state assistance and that’s why the governor, more than likely, has not declared an emergency.”

If the damage doesn’t reach the threshold for the state to ask for the federal government’s help, the state will be unable to help individuals with flood damages and losses, Mosgrove said. But the state could be able to assist local governments with paying for repairs to public buildings, roads and equipment and other flood-related expenses, she said.

Staff Writer Naomi King can be reached at 857-2209 or naomi.king@houmatoday.com.