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May 13, 2009

Disaster relief funding approved

By Patrick McCreless

The federal government recently approved disaster relief funding for Cullman County due to the severe storms the area experienced last month.

“This will help us recoup part of our expenses,” said Phyllis Little, director of the Cullman County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).

Little said the funding, which will be administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), would cover storm damage caused between April 12 and April 13.

“It can’t cover damage prior to that,” Little said. “I wish we could go back to January too.”

The funding, which was also approved for DeKalb, Jackson, Jefferson and Marshall Counties, covers damage caused by severe storms, flooding, tornadoes and straight-line winds.

Last month, strong winds wreaked havoc across the county, downing numerous trees, damaged several homes and caused a power outage to approximately 17,000 Cullman County Electric Cooperative customers.

Little said she did not yet know how much funding the county would receive.

“It’s not like a grant with exact numbers,” Little said. “We have to tally all the numbers. Right now we’re at $600,000.”

Little noted that Cullman’s funding would only reimburse public entities and not private individuals.

“We didn’t have enough uninsured damages to get individual assistance,” Little said. “It takes a lot.”

Little said the funding would mainly be used to reimburse the county road department for tree removal services, fuel used by various volunteer fire departments and the Cullman Co-op.

During a previous article, the Co-op reported the April power outage cost them approximately $500,000 in repair costs.

EMA officials will meet with FEMA representatives Wednesday to discuss the exact details of the funding, Little said.



‰ Patrick McCreless can be reached by e-mail at patrickm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.

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