Governor Mike Kehoe has requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency approve a major disaster declaration for Missouri to provide federal assistance to a total of 12 counties, including Greene, in response to tornadoes, straight line winds, severe storms, large hail and flooding that swept across the state April 23rd through the 28th.
What We Know: The governor is requesting FEMA public assistance for Greene County, as well as Carroll, Chariton, Holt, Howard, Monroe, Randolph, Ripley, Saline, and St. Francois Counties.
What It Means: If approved, local governments and qualifying nonprofit agencies may seek federal help for reimbursement of emergency response and recovery costs, including repair and replacement costs for damaged buildings, bridges, roads, and other public infrastructure.
What’s at Stake: The request for Greene County also includes FEMA individual assistance, which would allow eligible residents to seek federal help for temporary housing, housing repairs, and replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles, and other qualifying expenses. Clay, Gentry, Holt, Randolph and Saline Counties are also included in the request for individual assistance.
What Remains Unclear: How soon President Trump could approve a disaster declaration. When a state requests a major disaster declaration with Individual Assistance (IA), Presidential approval typically takes an average of 30 to 67 days. However, this timeline varies significantly depending on the scale and complexity of the disaster.
What They’re Saying: Governor Kehoe says the damage in Greene County alone from the April 28th hail storm surpassed the total state threshold to qualify for federal disaster assistance. “When the damage in all the other counties is included,” Kehoe says, “the total is triple Missouri’s damage threshold, and beyond the capacity of these hard-hit communities to meet without federal assistance.” Kehoe says a hailstone in Springfield on April 28th was confirmed to be 4.75 inches in diameter, the diameter of a CD, and the largest hail on record in Springfield or Greene County.
(Photo credit: Hail damage to car near Division and I-44 in Springfield, courtesy of Halltown Volunteer Protection District
