Governor Phil Bredesen is flying over West and Middle Tennessee to see the impact of flood damage the historic weekend rains. He’s expected to request federal help in the next 24 hours.
U.S. Representative Lincoln Davis, of Pall Mall, says the state needs the extra resources from the federal government now. Davis has been working the phone with local and state officials of the counties that have been most affected by the flooding.
“It is completely overwhelmed – there are people who can not leave their homes. All throughout the middle Tennessee area it is unbelievable of the damage that has been down from my observation and from folks of areas where I have not seen personally looks like a hurricane just came through.”
Nashville Congressman Jim Cooper says the area needs all the help it can get from every level of government.
“We need to make sure homes can be put back into use, and businesses. The roads can be restored and bridges. It is really an astonishing devastation it almost gives you the impression of a New Orleans situation.”
Cooper laid out what a federal disaster declaration could mean for the state.
“First they help with the assessment of the extent of damage and this will probably be in the hundreds of millions of dollars maybe in the billions. Second they help with loans and cleanup because a lot of folks are going to have a hard time cleaning up their houses. The mold problems that we’ve seen in hurricane devastated areas can be almost as bad as the flooding. There is property loss and damage.”
Senator Lamar Alexander expects the Governor’s to ask for assistance after emergency management personnel finish surveying and assessing the damage. He says once the request is made he’ll work with the White House to get approval for help with cleanup and damage repairs.
“For example the water treatment plant one of them is down in Nashville federal money could be used for up to 75 percent to help pay for taking care of that. There is federal funding that could be used for removing of junk or debris rem oval or water and sewer facilities and other infrastructure and then there may be money for private individuals who have been hurt there is money for temporary housing small businesses that have been damaged and food services.”
It is the Governor who initiates the request for a federal disaster designation. Once granted FEMA can mobilize additional personnel and equipment. Once the request is made, the White House could grant the approval the same day or within the next several days.
Reported by Sara Sciammacco.
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