FEMA Marks One-Year Anniversary Of Iowa Disaster 

Release Date: May 22, 2009
Release Number: 1763-235

» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

DES MOINES, Iowa -- It came in at dusk on May 25, 2008 - an EF5 tornado roaring like a runaway freight train bearing down on the Iowa towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford.  With its passage, Parkersburg lay in ruins and New Hartford was hard hit.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver immediately sought federal assistance. President George W. Bush quickly responded by declaring Butler, Black Hawk and Bremer counties on May 27, 2008, major disaster areas. 

This action enabled the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to respond and coordinate federal recovery programs for the affected areas.

FEMA established a Des Moines Joint Field Office to partner with Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division (HSEMD) on tornado response and recovery operations.  An Area Field Office was opened in Cedar Falls so FEMA staff could provide needed one-on-one contact with those impacted by the tornado.  More than 100 FEMA staff deployed to both offices.

That, however, was only the start of Iowa's worst year in the disaster annals. 

As June, 2008 began, melting of the heavy winter snow pack combined with torrential spring rains to create catastrophic flooding in the Cedar River and Iowa River corridors.  Portions of towns like Cedar Rapids, Palo, Iowa City and Oakville were inundated. Others areas of the state were swamped - a Des Moines levee broke and flooded the Birdland neighborhood. The 2008 Iowa floods will go down as one of worst and most costly floods in Iowa - and even national - history.

As the flooding evolved, FEMA ramped up to meet the new challenges. At peak staffing, more than 1,600 FEMA personnel were working in Iowa.  FEMA and the state opened a second Area Field Office in Cedar Rapids. Eventually, 85 of Iowa's 99 counties were added to the May 27 declaration.

FEMA established a hotline and opened the FEMA.gov Web site so both tornado- and flooded-affected Iowans could register for disaster assistance.  A total of 39,928 Iowans registered. The registration period - normally 60 days - ran 154 days, from May 27, 2008, to October 31, 2008.

FEMA and the state opened 72 Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) so those affected could meet one-on-one with staff on FEMA housing assistance, methods to rebuild safer and stronger, assistance with U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low interest disaster loans, state mental health counseling and other recovery issues.  Altogether, 35,705 visits were made to DRCs.  The first DRC - in Parkersburg - opened May 25, 2008.  The last - in Cedar Rapids - closed October 25, 2008.

A presidential disaster declaration makes a variety of federal and state disaster programs available: Key among them are the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), the Public Assistance Program (PA) and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).

To date, these three major programs, in partnership with the state, provide recovery assistance - such as SBA - represent nearly $1.3 billion in approved disaster assistance for affected Iowans and their communities. Non-traditional disaster assistance programs, such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Block Development Grant Program, provided assistance, too.

The Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides grants for emergency housing and grants for essential needs not met by other assistance programs. One of FEMA's and the state's first recovery priorities is to move those who cannot or should not live in their disaster-damaged primary residence to alternate living arrangements. This is the Housing Assistance part of the IHP. FEMA provided 24,878 households more than $120 million in repair and/or rental grants to homeowners, and rental grants to renters.

The other part of IHP is the Other Needs Assistance (ONA) program.  The state administers this program that assists those with essential and necessary expenses not met by other programs.  Disaster-related medical, funeral and dental costs go directly to ONA for help.  With expenses such as lost personal possessions, transportation, storage, one must first be found ineligible for an SBA loan.  ONA has provided $16.3 million to 8,514 households.  FEMA provides 75 percent and the state 25 percent of ONA funding.

FEMA housing grants and FEMA/State ONA grants are based on inspections.  More than 37,000 inspections of damaged residences were performed.

In addition, Iowa flooding was of such a devastating nature that Iowa and FEMA created a Housing Recovery Task Force to assess availability of housing for those affected. A direct FEMA housing mission was requested for 10 counties that lacked adequate housing resources. FEMA provided temporary housing units in the form of mobile homes 14 feet by 60 feet; and smaller units, called "park" models that are 12 feet by 42 feet.  At peak, 564 families were housed.  Currently, 319 families still reside in these units.

Another key recovery program on which FEMA and the State of Iowa partner is the Public Assistance (PA) Program. Normally, FEMA pays 75 percent of the damage reimbursement costs and the state pays 25 percent. Because of the extent of damage of this catastrophe, FEMA provided 90 percent and the state paid the remaining 10 percent of these reimbursements costs. HSEMD administers the program.  The program provides local and state government agencies and certain non profits reimbursement for eligible disaster-related damages or costs in the areas of debris removal, emergency protective measures and repair or restoration of public infrastructure.

For example, a nearly $5 million reimbursement quickly was approved for Parkersburg-New Hartford area tornado debris removal.  Removing debris clears the pathways for recovery to move on a faster track, and today Parkersburg is a tale of triumph over tragedy - truly a modern Phoenix rising from the ashes.

To date, 1,118 requests for Public Assistance have been received.  More than $583 million has been obligated for 8,784 individual projects. At present, it looks like this program will exceed $1 billion in reimbursements - one of the largest PA disasters in history. Hundreds of millions of dollars in projects remain to be processed.

FEMA and the state also key in on measures to reduce damages from future hazards.  There are two programs which focus on this endeavor. One is called the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).   Mitigation is an effort to break the continuous damage-recovery cycle.  Another program is the Long Term Community Recovery (LTCR) Program.  LTCR partners with the state to select affected communities that could benefit from long range recovery planning and envisioning efforts.

HMGP provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during recovery of a disaster.

The program may provide a state with up to 15 percent of the total disaster grants awarded by FEMA. Iowa met higher mitigation planning criteria and qualifies for 20 percent under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000. Currently, it is estimated FEMA will provide over $187 million in HMGP funding under the 1763-DR-IA major disaster declaration.

The state administers the HMGP and sets priorities for what measures will be funded.  Iowa's first priority for HMGP is to purchase properties in the affected 100-year flood zones.  Projects to acquire such properties from various affected communities have already been submitted for approval and are close to funding. Other communities are in the process of submitting applications.

With a catastrophe of this magnitude, FEMA recognizes that some communities face tremendous challenges, opportunities and choices in the rebuilding process - build back as it was or rebuild as you want it to be.  FEMA's Long Term Community Recovery (LTCR) staff worked with the state's Rebuild Iowa Office to identify key communities to offer support in envisioning a future for the community that would be better, stronger and more disaster resistant and planning help to make that vision a reality.

LTCR and the state assessed 64 communities and held public meetings, workshops and did outreach with those communities' citizens - 10 of the hardest hit and most receptive were selected for more intensive help in envisioning, planning and achieving a strong and more disaster resistant status. The work continues.

In addition to the above three key components of FEMA and State of Iowa response and recovery efforts, there are other disaster programs that focus in special ways to help those affected.  For example:

LTRCs use donated resources - both materials and funds - to assist those with the most critical problems.  The committees coordinate volunteers that come from all over the nation to assist.  LTRCs also represent a prime example of public-private partnership. An LTRC can leverage a FEMA home repair grant by buying materials with the money and arranging for volunteers with rebuilding skills to perform the hammer-and-nails part of reconstructing a flood-damaged home.

The Iowa Volunteer and Donations Committee reported that more than 33,800 individuals volunteered more than 798,400 hours in time and services to the Iowa response and recovery effort. That represents a total of $12.4 million of in-kind contributions.  Iowans and those outside the state have been very generous with donations of goods and money totaling over $30 million.

FEMA's response and recovery efforts in Iowa have been massive, comprehensive and compassionate.  Literally thousands of FEMA staff, other federal agencies staff, and local hires have been working during the past year to prime the recovery pump. Their work is taking hold and the healing waters are beginning to flow. 

Much has been done.  Much needs to be done.  FEMA has made a decision to stay in place in Iowa for at least another two years.  Soon, the Joint Field Office in Des Moines and Area Field Office in Cedar Rapids will transition to an Iowa Recovery Center.  Permanent staff will be hired for a two-year period. The transition will be seamless and the march to full recovery from the Iowa tornadoes and flooding will continue unabated until all affected areas are a tale of triumph over tragedy.

FEMA leads and supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation, to reduce the loss of life and property and protect the nation from all hazards including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters.

Last Modified: Friday, 22-May-2009 08:15:15