Tornado victims have troubles with federal aid

TOO MUCH INSURANCE

By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian

The White House statement declaring Bollinger County and four others in Southeast Missouri as disaster areas Monday also offered a toll-free number encouraging residents to apply for federal assistance.

But an official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday that was a mistake, because the level of damage and the percentage of residences with insurance coverage put the counties outside of FEMA's guidelines for help.

Too many storm victims in the five counties had insurance, and the number of homes damaged or destroyed wasn't great enough to warrant federal assistance, said FEMA spokesperson Linda Winkler, who works out of the Kansas City, Mo., office.

In Bollinger County, where a tornado struck on April 28, 15 houses were destroyed, and 18 percent of those were insured, she said.

But counting all the counties -- including Butler, Carter, Howell and Madison, where high winds and tornadoes hit earlier -- there were 86 homes destroyed, and 57 percent of those had various degrees of home insurance, Winkler said.

"We understand any kind of disaster affects people, and we understand it has affected those people," she said. "We just felt like to offer a group that largely was insured would be a duplication of services."

According to FEMA code, recommendations are based on the "severity and magnitude" of the disaster. FEMA considers the amount and types of damage, the impact of damage on victims and the extent and type of insurance.

Winkler said there are volunteer groups, such as the American Red Cross, that will help bridge the gap.

Lack of response

Bollinger County fire chief and emergency management director Jim Bollinger said he was disappointed by the lack of federal response.

"It's a problem," he said. "We've got people out here that are beyond welfare. They're hard up. One is living out of a car and another is living in a house with a tarp over it. And they say we don't qualify?"

Bollinger said that if the tornado had hit a metropolitan area, the situation would have been handled differently. People who live in rural areas shouldn't be penalized, he said.

"It looks like if the community doesn't do it, it won't get done," Bollinger said, adding that fund raisers have been started. "It's just aggravating."

The aggravation was compounded Tuesday when it was reported that a Monday announcement by the White House erroneously included a toll-free number that residents and business owners could use to begin applying for assistance.

The declaration, made by President Bush on the recommendation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency director Joe M. Allbaugh, only made federal assistance available to public entities to pay for fixing or replacing such things as storm-damaged public buildings, utilities and roads.

"It was one of those standard forms," Winkler said. "They cut and paste on the computer and they probably added new information and didn't take the number out. It was a simple, clerical mistake."

'Simple' mistake

The "simple" mistake doesn't change the fact that those who called the line from Bollinger County -- and there were some -- feel like they need help.

"It's not right that they're not going to help us," said Beth Ballard, who suffered damage to her mobile home, which is not insured. "There are people who lost everything, their homes and all their household stuff. I don't think it's right or fair. How can they say we don't need help?"

Gov. Bob Holden's office had requested that 19 counties be declared disaster areas and made eligible for public and private assistance.

"We're disappointed and surprised that the federal government did not make individual assistance available to those hard-hit counties," said Holden spokesman Jerry Nachtigal. "Clearly these people need assistance."

Holden could make another request to the president. Nachtigal said that Holden was discussing that possibility with Jerry Uhlmann, director of the State Emergency Management Agency.

"They're planning to chat to see if there's any recourse that the state can take to get the president and FEMA to reconsider," Nachtigal said.

There may be other help available.

U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan's office has sent a letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations to try to get some emergency funds available for residents of the Southeast Missouri counties.

Carnahan spokesman Tony Wyche said he hoped the matter would be taken up by the committee as part of a supplemental appropriations bill by the end of the week.

Small business help

Holden has asked the Small Business Administration to make an agency declaration that would provide qualifying residents with low-interest loans that are based on credit ratings and ability to repay the loans.

Marble Hill resident Betty Hastings, whose dream home was torn apart, said she remains hopeful the government comes through.

"People are asking 'Where's our government?'" she said. "We pay all these taxes. These poor people are never, ever going to get back on their feet without a little help. I'm hoping to God the government is going to be there."

smoyers@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137