CLARK COUNTY — At least five Miami Valley counties are waiting to see if they’ll qualify to get help from FEMA as people clean up storm damage from this month’s severe weather.
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All month, News Center 7 has shown you tornado and flood damage in our area from several rounds of severe weather.
Monday, we talked to the Clark County EMA about applying for federal assistance while recovering from severe weather earlier this month.
“Clark County determined that we had three separate tornadoes in the county,” Michelle Clements-Pitstick, Clark Co. EMA director, said.
Those twisters hit on Aug. 11.
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News Center 7 documented the damage that day.
Clark County is one of 22 counties across Ohio applying for FEMA assistance while getting damage from this month’s severe weather cleaned up.
Butler, Champaign, Darke, and Preble counties are also on that list.
Some parts of the state, like Clark County, have dealt with tornado damage; other counties are dealing with the aftermath of flooding.
“This is a very long process. We are just one small part of the larger picture,” Clements-Pitstick said.
Gov. Mike DeWine has asked for federal storm damage assessments as soon as possible to determine if Ohio meets federal thresholds for help.
If a FEMA declaration is approved, federal assistance would not be a guarantee for applicants in communities like Clark County.
But it could provide help in some areas related to storm recovery at people’s primary residences.
“Help with their cleanup, help with immediate housing needs, help with child care. There are many different programs that the federal government has in different categories that the residents would be able to apply for,” Clements-Pitstick said.
The Clark County EMA said it does not have a timeline for a decision from FEMA about potential federal aid to help with storm damage at buildings like these after severe weather earlier this month, or for the other 21 counties applying for potential help, but we’ll work to let you know when FEMA makes a decision.
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