12 TN counties covered by fed disaster declaration from May storms

News release from Tennessee Emergency Management Agency

Nashville, Tenn. – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam announced (Friday) evening 12 counties will receive federal aid assistance through a Presidential Disaster Declaration as the recovery process continues in several areas from the severe storms and straight-line winds of May 27, and May 28, 2017.

“Local, state, and federal partners came together in a collaborative effort to assess impacts rapidly so we could have accurate storm damage data and illustrate our need for a disaster declaration to President Trump,” Haslam said. “I am grateful to all the first responders, emergency managers, and community members who have united to help others recover from the impact of these storms.”

Tennessee counties included in the Presidential Declaration are:  Blount, Cumberland, Fayette, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Sevier, Shelby, and Smith.

These counties are now eligible for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance program, which will allow government entities and certain private non-profits to apply for reimbursement of specific, eligible expenses from the emergency.

More information on FEMA’s Public Assistance program is at: https://www.fema.gov/public-assistance-local-state-tribal-and-non-profit.

There was no decision from FEMA on Gov. Haslam’s request for Individual Assistance for Shelby County.

Severe storms began moving across Tennessee on Saturday, May 27, 2017, bringing strong, straight-line winds, hail, and flooding. At the height of the severe storms in Shelby County, more than 180,000 Memphis Light, Gas, and Water customers were without power.  In the storms’ aftermath, city and county officials began an intense, coordinated effort to restore power, clear debris, and take care of basic human needs of residents.

As the storms moved across the state through the weekend, another 19 counties, in middle and east Tennessee, reported local power outages, downed trees and blocked roads, and damage to homes.