CLEVELAND — It could be a month before Northeast Ohio residents find out if Gov. Mike DeWine will make a request for individual federal assistance from the early August severe storms and tornadoes.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has not declared the storms as a major disaster. This means those residents who suffered storm damage are not eligible for any federal assistance at this time.
"Everything, I lost everything," Cleveland resident Mary Keith told 3News Monday. "My freezer and fridges are empty. I have nothing."
DeWine has requested the Ohio emergency management director to ask FEMA to conduct a damage assessment. Federal and state officials are now working to determine the severity of the damage.
During this assessment, teams will determine the extent of the disaster, the impact on individuals and public facilities, and the types of federal assistance that may be needed, according to FEMA.
Keith hopes city, county, and state officials will step up to help bridge the gap to assist those in need. She says food banks in the area are already struggling.
"Money is tight," she stated. "Money is really tight."
The governor would then need to submit the request for federal assistance to the appropriate regional FEMA administrator within 30 days of the occurrence of the incident. This request would include the estimate of the severity of damage to the public and private sector, resources already used to alleviate the disaster, and estimates of the amount of need, along with other FEMA requirements.
If FEMA determines a need, President Joe Biden would then be able to authorize the aid, which could include individual and public assistance.
The most recent FEMA major disaster declaration issued for Ohio came back on May 2 following the March 14 tornado outbreak that including Richland County. Federal assistance could help cover uninsured or underinsured losses.
If federal assistance becomes available, it is important to keep a list of damage and losses, along with other expenses, receipts, photos, and other disaster-related documentation.
Ohio has an individual assistance program — designed to provide grants for disaster-related unmet needs to individual families that have uninsured essential private property damage or losses — that can be activated if FEMA does not declare a major disaster and if local governments, the governor, and the U.S. Small Business Administration do designate the event as a disaster. The city of Cleveland is also requesting residents report damage to assist with the assessment.