Anniversary of Iowa DR 1763 - By the Numbers
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Release Number: 1763-234
» More Information on Iowa Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
DES MOINES, Iowa -- On May 25, 2008, an EF5 tornado ripped through the communities of Parkersburg and New Hartford, Iowa. Two weeks after that devastation, heavy rains from severe storms caused major flooding throughout the state creating one of the worst disasters in Iowa's history.
Today, local, state and federal agencies - including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) - are still working together to provide Iowans resources to assist them as they continue to rebuild their lives. As part of the ongoing recovery effort, here is a look back to see how far Iowa has come in the course of the year.
1.25 billion: Joint State/FEMA/SBA dollar amount approved to help the citizens of Iowa recover from flooding and tornados.
590. million: Dollar amount approved for repair/rebuilding projects such as public buildings and roadways under FEMA's Public Assistance program.
264.6 million: Dollar amount of approved U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Federal disaster loans.
122. million: Dollar amount approved to help Iowans through FEMA's Individual Assistance Housing program grants.
21.2 million: Dollar amount approved to assist Iowans recover through missions assigned to other federal agencies. State officials may request certain emergency work to be performed directly by a federal agency if the impact of a disaster is so severe that neither the state nor local government can adequately respond. This is called Direct Federal Assistance. Under this provision, through Mission Assignments, FEMA may use appropriate federal agencies to perform work or contract work to be performed. Under this program, for example, FEMA tasked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the extensive debris removal in the town of Parkersburg which was decimated by the EF5 tornado.
16.3 million: Dollar amount approved to assist Iowa households through the Other Needs Assistance program.
6.8 million: Dollar amount approved to assist Iowans in the Disaster Unemployment Assistance program.
39,928: Iowans registered for FEMA assistance for this disaster.
35,705: Iowans visited the numerous Disaster Recovery Centers.
24,878: Iowa households received assistance through FEMA's Housing Assistance program.
8,510: Iowa households received assistance through FEMA's Other Needs Assistance program.
2,279: Iowans received assistance through FEMA's Disaster Unemployment Assistance program.
1763: The designation number assigned to the Iowa disaster. At the time of Iowa's disaster declaration, it represented the total number of presidential federal disaster declarations since 1979 when President Jimmy Carter signed an executive order merging several of the disaster-related responsibilities into the Federal Emergency Management Agency - or FEMA. Since Iowa's declaration on May 25, 2008, there have been an additional 76 presidential disaster declaration across the nation.
1,618: Number of FEMA personnel brought in to assist Iowans at the height of the disaster.
564: Iowa households which were provided temporary housing units at the peak of the disaster.
154: Days the registration period ran for Iowans seeking FEMA assistance.
85: Number of Iowa counties declared eligible for federal disaster assistance. There are 99 counties in Iowa.
72: Number of Disaster Recovery Centers FEMA opened at the height of the disaster.
5: The category designation on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale given to the mile-wide tornado that struck the towns of Parkersburg and New Hartford. The scale goes from EF0 - the weakest with winds between 65-85 miles-per-hour - to EF 5 - the strongest. An EF5 category tornado creates sustained winds over 200 miles-per-hour.
1: Local, state and federal officials working together as one to assists residents rebuild a better, safer Iowa.
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./p>
Last Modified: Friday, 22-May-2009 08:22:35