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February 23, 2021
Mayor signs Disaster Declaration for City of Bandera
By Jessica Nohealapa’ahi Goode
The Bandera Prophet
City of Bandera Mayor Suzanne Schauman has signed a Disaster Declaration for damages caused by the winter storm last week. Schauman said the declaration will not help city residents get federal assistance, but she said it will allow her to file a claim for losses the city incurred.
“At this point, this will not help the city residents seeking FEMA help,” Schauman said, adding if the county issues a disaster declaration, city and county residents would be eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA.
Schauman said the main reason she signed the declaration is because the city is spending funds not budgeted on infrastructure repair for damages caused by last week’s arctic storm, named Uri by The Weather Channel. The declaration, which is filed with the city secretary, will be used as supporting documention for both the FEMA claim and an insurance claim.
Schauman said FEMA designated $79,000 to the county, and the city is entitled to a portion of those funds, however she did not yet have a full tally of the city’s economic impact.
“We’re very early into this,” Schauman said.
On Feb. 20, 77 counties were initially approved for the President’s Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance, and Public Assistance for Emergency Protective Measures Only was approved for all 254 counties. On Monday, Feb. 22, Governor Greg Abbott announced 31 additional Texas counties were added to the Major Disaster Declaration.
“Additional counties will continue to be re-requested as the State of Texas continues to receive information reported from individuals who have suffered damage from the winter storm. Texans are urged to fill out the Texas Division of Emergency Management's Texas Individual Assistance Reporting Tool (TIART) to help the state identify damages across Texas and help emergency management officials gain an understanding of damages that occurred during the recent winter weather,” a press release from the Governor’s Office stated. “FEMA has asked the state of Texas for additional information regarding the amount of damage in the counties that have yet to be declared, and TDEM will continue to present that information until all Texas counties that qualify for federal assistance receive the assistance they need.”
Access the TIART at tdem.texas.gov/warm.
“At this point, this will not help the city residents seeking FEMA help,” Schauman said, adding if the county issues a disaster declaration, city and county residents would be eligible to apply for assistance from FEMA.
Schauman said the main reason she signed the declaration is because the city is spending funds not budgeted on infrastructure repair for damages caused by last week’s arctic storm, named Uri by The Weather Channel. The declaration, which is filed with the city secretary, will be used as supporting documention for both the FEMA claim and an insurance claim.
Schauman said FEMA designated $79,000 to the county, and the city is entitled to a portion of those funds, however she did not yet have a full tally of the city’s economic impact.
“We’re very early into this,” Schauman said.
On Feb. 20, 77 counties were initially approved for the President’s Major Disaster Declaration for Individual Assistance, and Public Assistance for Emergency Protective Measures Only was approved for all 254 counties. On Monday, Feb. 22, Governor Greg Abbott announced 31 additional Texas counties were added to the Major Disaster Declaration.
“Additional counties will continue to be re-requested as the State of Texas continues to receive information reported from individuals who have suffered damage from the winter storm. Texans are urged to fill out the Texas Division of Emergency Management's Texas Individual Assistance Reporting Tool (TIART) to help the state identify damages across Texas and help emergency management officials gain an understanding of damages that occurred during the recent winter weather,” a press release from the Governor’s Office stated. “FEMA has asked the state of Texas for additional information regarding the amount of damage in the counties that have yet to be declared, and TDEM will continue to present that information until all Texas counties that qualify for federal assistance receive the assistance they need.”
Access the TIART at tdem.texas.gov/warm.