Area counties eligible for disaster recovery help

Bartholomew, Brown and Decatur counties in our area will be eligible to have federal help repairing public infrastructure and buildings damaged in the spring extreme weather events.

According to Bartholomew County Emergency Management, a federal disaster declaration for public assistance was approved for 23 counties in Indiana following severe storms, flooding, straight line winds and tornadoes in the state from March 30th and April 9th. Under the public assistance program, state, local, tribal and territorial governments and certain non profit organizations can apply for help with emergency work and for the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities including roads and public buildings

However, neither Indiana nor Bartholomew County reached the damage threshold for individual assistance from the severe weather.

Next week FEMA will begin meeting with Indiana Department of Homeland Security recovery teams, public assistance applicants and county Emergency Management agencies across the state.