Officials urge community to fill out iSTAT survey

On Feb. 14, the Federal Government declared the state of Texas a national emergency, EM-3554-TX allowing government authorities to apply for Federal aid.

On February 19, the white house declared a Major Disaster Declaration, DR-4586-TX. On the whitehouse.gov website, “President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Texas and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms beginning on February 11, 2021, and continuing.”

In the initial disaster declaration individual assistance was made available to 77 Counties. That number has gone up a few different times and now sits at 126 counties that are available for Individual Assistance (Assistance to individuals and households).

According to a press release from Governor Greg Abbott dated Feb. 25, “Additional counties will continue to be re-requested as the State of Texas continues to receive information reported from individuals who have suffered damage from the winter storm. Tex ans are urged to fill out the Texas Division of Emergency Management’s State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) to help the state identify damages across Texas and help emergency management officials gain an understanding of damages that occurred during the recent winter weather.”

Like Abbott, Atlanta Police and Fire Chief Robin Betts, also the Emergency Management Coordinator for Cass County, also encourages Cass County’s residents to fill out the iSTAT so that “our community can receive the federal funding so many in our county are needing right now.”

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agencies website, “FEMA provides financial benefits to eligible applicants who are not insured or underinsured, but those benefits occur after an insurance settlement. Disaster assistance may include financial assistance for temporary lodging and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. FEMA can’t duplicate benefits from insurance or pay your deductible.”

FEMA highlights below the following types of assistance that may be provided by FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program.

Temporary Housing Assistance: Financial assistance to homeowners or renters to rent a temporary place to live, if your home is unlivable because of the disaster, and you have no insurance coverage for temporary housing. If there no rental properties are available, as a last resort, a government housing unit may be provided in some areas.

Lodging Expenses Reimbursement: Reimbursement of hotel expenses for homeowners or renters for short periods due to inaccessibility or utility outage, if not covered by insurance or any other program.

Home Repair: Financial assistance to homeowners to repair disaster-caused damage to their primary residence, when the damage is not covered by insurance, to make the home safe, sanitary, and fit to occupy.

Home Replacement: Financial assistance to homeowners to help replace their home destroyed in the disaster, when the damage is not covered by insurance.

Permanent Housing Construction: Direct or financial assistance for the construction or repair of a home. This type of help occurs only in certain unique cases where no other type of housing assistance is possible.

Financial assistance is available for necessary expenses and serious needs directly caused by the disaster, including:

Child-care expenses

Medical and dental expenses

Funeral and burial expenses

Damages to essential household items (room furnishings, appliances); clothing; tools (specialized or protective clothing and equipment) required for your job; necessary educational materials (computers, schoolbooks, supplies)

Fuel for the primary heat source (heating oil, gas)

Clean-up items (wet/dry vacuum, dehumidifier)

Damage to an essential vehicle

Moving and storage expenses caused by the disaster. This is moving and storage of essential household goods to prevent further damage, such as ongoing repairs, and returning the property to the applicant’s primary residence.

This also includes other necessary expenses or serious needs as determined by FEMA.

For businesses, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Any of the following may qualify for EIDL:

Small businesses

Small agricultural cooperatives

Small businesses engaged in aquaculture

Most private non-profit organizations of all sizes

In the 25th release from Abbott, it was also noted that “FEMA has asked the State of Texas for additional information regarding the amount of damage in the counties that have yet to be declared, and TDEM will continue to present that information until all Texas counties that qualify for federal assistance receive the assistance they need.”

“Our partnership with FEMA and the Biden Administration has opened up crucial resourc es for several of our communities — but there are still many counties who need this federal assistance as they recover from this winter storm,” said Governor Abbott. “I ask FEMA to quickly grant this request so that we can ensure access to the relief that Texans need in the wake of this disaster.”

Abbott has requested 54 additional counties to be included in the 126 counties already declared which include: Archer, Atascosa, Bandera, Brooks, Callahan, Camp, Cass, Clay, Coleman, Delta, Dimmit, Duval, Eastland, Ector, Fayette, Franklin, Frio, Goliad, Hamilton, Haskell, Howard, Irion, Jack, Jim Hogg, Karnes, Kerr, Kinney, Kleberg, Lamar, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Live Oak, Llano, Marion, Midland, Mills, Morris, Newton, Rains, Randall, Refugio, Robertson, San Augustine, San Saba, Shackelford, Somervell, Starr, Titus, Trinity, Webb, Wilbarger, Willacy, and Young. On February 22 neighboring Bowie county was added to the list of those declared eligible for individual federal aid.

“The information gleaned from the iSTAT,” says Governor Abbott, “will help us advocate for the support and assistance our communities need to recover from the winter storm,” said Governor Abbott. “This call center is available to help Texans without internet access complete this crucial survey.” Texans can complete the iSTAT by visiting damage.tdem.texas.gov or calling 844-844-3089.”