|
(Grand Island, NE) State and federal emergency management officials opened a Joint Field Office at Grand Island City Hall today to address public infrastructure damage in central Nebraska from the severe storms of May 11 and 12, Gov. Dave Heineman announced.
Staffers from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency opened the temporary headquarters for field operations before noon today, and employees are in the process of preparing for the questions to come.
Field teams will work with local governments and qualified nonprofits to apply for federal assistance to be targeted at the $3.2 million in estimated damage to public infrastructure like roads, bridges, sewers and culverts. Federal aid will also be available for flood mitigation.
"It is important that our disaster relief efforts be organized and ready to respond to the needs of our affected communities," Gov. Heineman said. "I applaud efforts at the state and federal level to make sure we can respond to people’s questions and concerns."
FEMA approved federal funding to cover 75 percent of the costs to local governments of emergency work and damage restoration to public property in the affected counties. State and local governments will share the remaining costs. Eleven counties qualified, including Adams, Buffalo, Fillmore, Frontier, Hall, Hamilton, Howard, Kearney, Merrick, Seward and York.
FEMA and NEMA will have representatives provide information to city and county officials on the process for applying for federal funds at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 1, at the Holiday Inn Midtown, 2503 S. Locust St., in Grand Island. Media members are welcome to attend.
|
