Taylor gets explanation on storm aid

by: JIM MYERS and BARBARA HOBEROCK World Staff Writers
1/25/2008  12:00 AM

Tulsa’s mayor says the head of the agency told her that individual assistance was denied because there was not enough home destruction.

WASHINGTON — Gov. Brad Henry filed a formal appeal Thursday of FEMA’s decision to deny individual assistance to ice storm victims, but that effort appeared doomed, according to information provided to Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor.

Taylor said David Paulison, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told her that Oklahoma ice storm victims do not qualify for individual assistance because the storm was not marked by home destruction.

“He said he needed really to see more in the way of total home destruction or significant destruction before he could make a recommendation for individual assistance,” Taylor said after a meeting with Paulison.

Saying she is not convinced Paulison will automatically reject the state’s appeal, the mayor conceded she was “discouraged.”

“If that is the standard, that is really not where the loss was,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t like a tornado or wildfires, where entire communities were wiped out. It was just significant damage to a significant number of families and businesses.”

Paulison declined to comment Thursday on why Oklahoma’s request for individual assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties was denied.

“FEMA will always work with our state and local partners to address their areas of concern,” FEMA spokesman James McIntyre said.

Oklahoma’s governor on Thursday filed a formal appeal asking FEMA to reverse its decision to deny individual assistance to those affected by last month’s ice storm.

“Oklahoma ice storm victims deserve help,” Henry said in a press release. “We are asking FEMA to take another hard look at our assistance request. We endured a disaster of historic proportions and have made a very strong case for federal aid.”

Individual assistance covers uninsured housing repair or temporary housing costs, Small Business Administration low-interest loans to individuals or businesses to repair or replace damaged property, disaster unemployment assistance, and grants for serious needs and necessary expenses not met by other programs.

The December ice storm left more than 640,000 homes and businesses without power and caused 30 deaths. Another 54 were injured, Henry said in a letter to FEMA. A total of 6,200 people received some type of medical care as a result of the ice storm, the letter states.

On Jan. 9, Henry requested individual assistance for Tulsa and Oklahoma counties. FEMA denied the request, saying state, local and volunteer organizations could address the damages.

In his letter to FEMA, Henry said the state has not been provided specific information as to why its request for individual assistance was denied.

“The ice storm was Oklahoma’s ninth federal disaster declaration of 2007, an all-time record for the nation,” Henry said. “As a result, the resources of the state and our local volunteer organizations are stretched to the limit. We need federal aid to get Oklahomans back on their feet.”

Tulsa’s mayor said Paulison did not indicate how much home destruction it would take for a community to qualify for individual assistance after a storm.

“He just said it would have to be substantial,” she said. “We didn’t have a great deal of total home destruction. We had a lot of loss, though.”

Paulison’s explanation clearly was news to Taylor.

“It was definitely something we had not heard,” the mayor said, explaining the approach local officials took leading up to the request for individual assistance.

“What I said to him is I think clarity on that would be very helpful.”

In Washington for a mayoral conference, Taylor did leave her meeting with Paulison with some encouraging words on timely reimbursements for what the city of Tulsa has spent on storm recovery.

She said Paulison offered assurances that Tulsa will not experience delays in reimbursement like other communities have in the past.

“I feel good about that,” Taylor said.

So far, she said, the city has spent about $2 million on a new program to help restore power to individual homes and as much as $20 million for removing the estimated 3 million cubic yards of debris and overtime for city employees.

“We expect to receive 87.5 percent of that back,” she said. “That’s the commitment that has been made, and we’ve had FEMA with us every step of the way.”

Help available to move limbs

Tulsa residents who are elderly or have special needs that hinder their ability to carry storm debris from their yard to the curb can get assistance from the city.

The Tulsa Fire Department has been assisting those individuals since the December ice storm hit. To be put on a list to receive help during the coming weeks, contact the Mayor’s Action Center at 596-2100.

Once debris is at the curb, the city’s debris removal contractor can haul it away for disposal.
Source: Tulsa World