Disaster declared for parts of Nebraska affected by December 15th storms

(Lincoln, NE) -- A disaster declaration is made for parts of Nebraska affected by the strong storm that tore through the state on December 15th.

On Wednesday, at the direction of Nebraska Governor Ricketts, Lieutenant Governor Foley signed the disaster proclamation. Foley's office says the proclamation allows for use of the Governor’s Emergency Fund in response to damage that occurred as a result of storms and high winds that downed power lines and trees and created power outages. The state declaration is needed to request a federal disaster declaration for public assistance.

Foley's office says state and local agencies continue to conduct damage assessments. Once sufficient information is gathered, a request for Federal Public Assistance will be sent to the Federal Emergency Management Agency regional office, then to FEMA headquarters, and finally to the White House for review and approval.

“While this storm came through very fast, it hit a number of communities and public power districts hard. With this proclamation, and hopefully a federal declaration, we can expedite the recovery process,” said Nebraska Emergency Management Assistant Director Erv Portis. “On this event, Nebraska would qualify for the FEMA Public Assistance program but not the FEMA Individual Assistance program. Individual Assistance is based on extreme impact, such as widespread loss of housing for individuals and families, loss of employment, loss of services across multiple sectors which results in extreme hardship, etc. This event, while significant, does not meet those thresholds.”

If a person or family needs help replacing spoiled food, removing tree limbs, cleaning up property damage, or has any other unmet needs, they are advised to contact:

• United Way’s 211 system — Call 2-1-1 or text your zip code to 898211.
• Nebraska Rural Response HOTLINE — 1-800-464-0258 which offers the same services.
• Insurance Provider — Many insurance policies include incidentals such as food spoilage, debris management, etc.

County Emergency Management Directors are compiling damage reports and may be aware of additional resources in their local communities to assist individuals or families in need. Contact information for County Emergency Management Directors is available on the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency website.