Cole, Camden, Maries, Morgan, Osage counties included in Mo. disaster declaration

Gov. Jay Nixon's disaster declaration for the December flood was approved by the White House. Cole, Camden, Maries, Morgan and Osage counties were among the 33 Missouri counties eligible for federal aid.

The governor submitted the declaration for individual assistance (IA) Jan. 15. The last time an IA was approved in Missouri was 2011 after the state experienced flooding and the Joplin tornado.

Property owners affected in any of the 33 counties can apply for federal relief online or by telephone, said Mike Cappannari, Federal Emergency Management Agency's external affairs director.

The registration window closes 60 days from Jan. 22.

The counties eligible under the program are Barry, Barton, Camden, Cape Girardeau, Cole, Crawford, Franklin, Gasconade, Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Jefferson, Laclede, Lawrence, Lincoln, Maries, McDonald, Morgan, Newton, Osage, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, Scott, St. Charles, St. Francois, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Stone, Taney, Texas, Webster and Wright.

Representatives from the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), FEMA and the local emergency management agencies assessed property damage a couple weeks ago to determine if the flood was a "major" disaster.

The damage assessments are what determine whether the flood is eligible for a disaster declaration, and the representatives' reports help the White House select the counties that can receive federal funding.

Missouri has a state threshold of approximately 500 homes that experienced severe damage in order to be eligible for a disaster declaration, said SEMA representative Mike O'Connell.

There is not a county threshold that determines whether the county receives funding from the declaration, Cappannari said. When representatives assess the damage, they look at the damages holistically - the number of homes affected and how badly were they damaged.

Upon registering for federal aid, a FEMA representative will contact the individual and assess the property damage.

Cappannari said the maximum amount of funding an individual can receive from FEMA is $33,000, but the average is around $3,000. If someone does not qualify for federal aid, they could still receive a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration.

Anyone in the qualifying counties affected by the recent flooding is encouraged to register for aid. Those interested can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the toll-free registry at 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).