Government : FEMA/HSEMD TO WORK NEW DISASTER FROM WEST DES MOINES FIELD OFFICE

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division(HSEMD) announced the recent federal disaster declaration for Benton, Clay, Dickinson, Marshall, Story and Tama Counties will be worked from the existing West Des Moines Joint FEMA/State Field Office.

The Field Office opened in late June to manage the federal disaster declaration signed by the President on June 27 to assist in flood recovery in six western Iowa counties. FEMA and State emergency management officials, with additional staff, will use the same facility to manage disaster operations for the new disaster declaration.

Iowa State Coordinating Officer, Pat Hall, said the Field Office location -- ten minutes from the State House, fifteen minutes from the HSEMD Emergency Operations Center and central to all the declared counties - helped in the decision to use the WDM facility to work both Iowa disaster declarations.

The second disaster declaration was signed by the President on August 24 for Dickinson and Clay Counties in northwest Iowa; and Benton, Marshall, Story and Tama Counties in central Iowa for damages resulting from the July 9 to July 14 storms and flooding. The declaration makes federal funding available to eligible public entities and select nonprofit agencies to cover costs incurred for implementing emergency protective measures, the removal of debris, emergency work and the repair and replacement of disaster damaged facilities.

The FEMA/State Joint Field Office is a center for federal and state disaster recovery officials to work and has no facilities to accommodate or assist disaster survivors.

Note: General National Flood Insurance questions should be referred to a local insurance agent or the National Flood Insurance Call Center at 1-800-427-4661.