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Hardin County reports progress on flood recovery; officials await presidential disaster declaration to unlock FEMA assistance
Summary
County officials said several county roads remain closed after recent floods, county staff and volunteers are completing state-required damage surveys, and the county is waiting on a presidential disaster declaration to open FEMA individual and public assistance programs.
Hardin County officials gave an update on flood recovery during the April 22 Fiscal Court meeting, reporting steady progress on damage surveys and local relief while noting the county is still waiting for a presidential disaster declaration that would trigger federal assistance.
The judge said county staff and emergency-management personnel have completed most of the state-required damage surveys and have been to hard-hit communities including West Point and Colesburg. He reported that, as of the meeting, five county roads remained closed because of standing floodwater but noted the number of closures has fallen from a much higher number.
Officials said all survey data has been forwarded to the federal level and that a presidential declaration is the remaining condition for FEMA to begin individual assistance programs and widen public-assistance reimbursement to cover county road repairs and other public costs. The judge said county staff have started to document public assistance needs for roads and other public infrastructure the county may have to fund before reimbursement.
Sheriff John Ward reported the sheriff’s office and first responders have been very active during and after the flooding. He described community response efforts — churches, the Red Cross, Salvation Army and many neighbors — and said the sheriff’s office was collecting cleaning supplies at the sheriff’s office for distribution.
A resident from West Point thanked county officials and magistrates for on-the-ground help and singled out cooperation on the EMS interlocal agreement; the resident said reduced ambulance response time in West Point would be “life and death.” Several magistrates and the judge acknowledged the community’s volunteer support and relief organizations’ role in short-term sheltering and supply distribution.
Ending: County staff will continue damage surveys, file paperwork for state and federal review and prepare for public-assistance claims should the presidential disaster declaration be issued. Officials encouraged residents to use local drop-off points for donated supplies and to follow guidance from county emergency-management staff.
