Mason County declares disaster after April storms; 17 homes assessed, emergency teams mobilize

Mason County on April 4 declared a countywide disaster after storms that county emergency officials say included a National Weather Service‑identified EF‑1 tornado and heavy flooding.

Emergency Management Director Tony Lees told the fiscal court that preliminary damage assessments showed 17 homes evaluated across the county: six "affected," seven with minor damage, two with major damage and two destroyed. Lees said crews also continue to document road and utility damage, and the county has submitted preliminary assessments to the state as it awaits a determination on state or federal assistance.

"We have submitted the preliminary damage assessments to the state," Lees said, and county staff are now in a waiting period to learn whether a declaration will unlock additional help. Director Lees credited local volunteer fire departments, the sheriff's office, the Red Cross and the Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief Team for early response and sheltering tasks.

Judge McNeil said the county declaration is the first step toward state and federal aid. He said Regional Emergency Management Director Jason York advised a damage threshold (reported to the court as approximately $50,530) for some forms of assistance and that the declaration releases additional state assets to help with assessments and response.

The fiscal court heard that transmission lines from the east that were brought down by the storms added to power and communications outages and that utility crews have been working to restore service. Lees said a Google form was set up for residents to submit damage reports to assist assessors.

The court did not take additional formal action at the meeting beyond accepting the emergency management report; Lees said follow‑up reports will be provided as damage calculations are finalized and when state decisions about assistance arrive.