DES MOINES – Today, Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds are providing an update on the Iowa flood response and issuing a disaster emergency proclamation for four additional counties including Howard, Jones, Louisa and Story. Additionally, Gov. Branstad, Lt. Gov. Reynolds, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard Tim Orr, and Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Mark Schouten will tour flood damage in Vinton, Palo and Cedar Rapids tomorrow. The schedule is provided below.
This update includes an overview of actions being taken by the State of Iowa to assist communities in Iowa impacted by flooding.
Proclamation of Disaster Emergency
Today, Gov. Branstad issued a proclamation of disaster emergency for an additional four counties: Howard, Jones, Louisa and Story. A total of 20 counties have now been added to the disaster proclamation including: Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Cedar, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Delaware, Floyd, Franklin, Hancock, Linn, Mitchell, Worth and Wright.
The governor’s proclamation allows State resources to be utilized to respond to and recover from the effects of this severe flooding. The proclamation also activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Program for residents of those four counties. In addition, Gov. Branstad’s proclamation activates the Iowa National Guard to assist in the response to, the mitigation of, and the recovery from the effects of the disaster as needed.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the current federal poverty level, or a maximum annual income of $40,320, for a family of three. Grants are available for home or car repairs, replacement of clothing or food, and for the expense of temporary housing. Original receipts are required for those seeking reimbursement for actual expenses related to storm recovery. The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website. Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.
State Resources
The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is coordinating the delivery of state resources to the affected areas.
Resources that have been provided include:
- More than 180,000 sandbags
- 4 dump truck loads of sand
- 38 water pumps and hoses
- 65 pallets of flood barriers, equal to 4,320 linear feet
- 50 traffic barricades
- Assistance to local law enforcement
- 7members of Iowa’s Incident Management Team to assist with response operations in Linn County
- 680 flood clean-up kits
- 10 dump trucks
- 400 National Guard troops deployed to assist in flood response and recovery
- 1 communications trailer to help responders communicate
- 1 portable shower trailer unit
- 3 pallets of bottled water
On Thurs., Sept. 29, 2016, state, local, and federal teams will conduct joint damage assessments in nine counties impacted by recent flooding. The assessments will be conducted in Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Delaware, Floyd, Jones and Linn counties.
Data from the joint damage assessments could be used by Gov. Branstad to request a Presidential Disaster Declaration, which, if granted, would make Individual Assistance funding available in the designated counties. The FEMA Individual Assistance Program is made available to homeowners, renters and businesses and can include grants and low-interest loans to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other aid programs.
Assessments of damage to public infrastructure have not been scheduled at this time.
In order to request a Presidential Disaster Declaration, damage incurred must meet criteria set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Tour Details:
1st Stop: Vinton
Vinton City Hall
110 W. 3rd Street
Vinton, IA
12:00-1:00PM
2nd Stop: Palo
Palo Community Center
2800 Hollenbeck Road
Palo, IA
1:30-2:30PM
3rd Stop: Cedar Rapids
Address: TBD
**Address will be released by tomorrow morning**
The State continues to work with local officials in northern and eastern Iowa to assist with planning and provide them with resources.
