Flagler County Gets FEMA Declaration for Repairs of Damage Caused by Heavy Rain
Flagler County suffered damage to infrastructure as a result of the recent deluge of rain which reached 28 inches in some parts of the county.
Palm Coast, Florida – June 4, 2009 – Flagler County has received a declaration from the FEMA to be reimbursed for damage to roadways, ditches and bridges for the May storm event that dropped more than 28 inches of rain.
The declaration does not include funding for individuals. Flagler County officials were not expecting a declaration for individuals since residential damage from the storm did not meet the thresholds set by the federal government. In all there was nearly $6 million dollars of damage estimated in Flagler County from the storm. A preliminary estimate of damage for roadways and other infrastructure was placed at $500,000.
“We were delighted to get a declaration to reimburse Flagler County for public infrastructure that was damaged during this unique storm event,” Flagler County Administrator Craig Coffey said. “Unfortunately the federal thresholds do not include a declaration for individual losses from the storm.”
“Our next task is to continue to seek funding for the agriculture losses in Flagler County and supplemental funds to spray the entire county for mosquitoes,” Coffey said.
The county is seeking funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to assist farmers in Flagler County for an estimated $6.3 million in crop losses. Most of those losses were in the potato crop which was being harvested as the rainfall flooded the fields.
The declaration applies to all governmental agencies in Flagler County including the cities and the Flagler County School Board. At 2 p.m. Tuesday June 9, a meeting is scheduled at the Emergency Operations Center for all governmental agencies to discuss eligible projects.
Emergency Services Director Nathan McCollum said the County is looking into extended mosquito control for the entire county under the recent declaration.
Where was the damage?
I presume this infrastructure damage was outside the city of Palm Coast, since there was recent news about how well the city’s storm drain system worked………