Flood of aid is on the way
FEMA adds Cherokee County to growing list

A flood of assistance is coming to the aid of people in Cherokee County who have been impacted by recent floodwaters.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced last Thursday that Cherokee County has been added to a growing list of 25 that are now eligible for financial assistance because of summer floods.

A temporary Disaster Recovery Center will be open only three days, Aug 3-5, for persons who wish to file claims.

Because most of the damage is in the northwest quadrant of the county, the recovery center is being established in Jacksonville at the Jacksonville Police training room, 210 W. Larissa.

Officials will be on hand to answer questions and help file claims for both individual and private business assistance.

FEMA is making the individual assistance program available to help homeowners, renters and businesses recover from the turbulent weather-related events.

The presidential declaration was released by Kenneth Clark, federal coordinating officer, who explained these grants may be used to pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other disasterrelated expenses not covered by insurance.

Workforce commission

The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) also announced Friday that those who lost work because of the recent floods have until Aug. 27 to file a disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) claim.

Eligibility requirements for work-related claims include:

• must have worked or been scheduled to work in the disaster area, but because of the disaster no longer have a job or a place to work in the area, or you could not get to your place of work because of disaster damage;

• must have been prevented from working by an injury or illness as a direct result of the disaster; or

• must have become the head of the household and need employment because the head of the household died as a result of the disaster.

To contact TWC about benefits, call (800) 939-6631 or the East Texas Workforce Development Board serving Smith and Cherokee counties, (903) 984-8641.

Self-employed business owners who lost all or part of their livelihood may also be eligible for benefits through TWC. Low interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration may be available to help from losses not compensated by insurance.

Public sector assistance

This assistance does not cover the public sector, which includes claims made by Cherokee County for numerous road and bridge washouts this summer.

Cherokee County commissioners each tabulated estimates thus far, and the preliminary figure is up to $1.5 million.

Ken Hannah, Cherokee County emergency management coordinator, said that FEMA will make an on-site assessment of the damage today. "There are many different programs available, and we don't know what we are eligible for."

If the assessment determines that the damage warrants a state disaster designation, then another team will make a second on-site visit to get tight dollar estimates, determine what the county can pay and arrive at a cost share.

Mr. Hannah said that because of the presidential declaration last week, the chances are greater that the county will also receive a disaster designation.

The unsung heroes during the flood were the first responders, said Mr. Hannah. He praised law enforcement agencies for helping get barricades in place to mark washed out areas.

"We are using a new system, the National Instant Management System (NIMS), which was put in place by Homeland Security for disasters like this. It is supposed to be a system of 'lessons learned' and be more efficient."

Mr. Hannah said that the Texas State Railroad, which sustained approximately $700,000 worth of damages during the flood, will be able to pursue state channels for possible financial assistance once the disaster designations have been made.

"We're beginning a period of recovery," said Mr. Hannah.