SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — FEMA representative Phil Wernisch said an assessment of the damage from the May 12 derecho and tornadoes in South Dakota should be completed by Friday.
As of Monday, FEMA, state officials and county officials were still determining damage estimates, Wernisch said.
“This is for only publicly-owned facilities, ” Wernisch said of the damage assessment. That would include rural electric facilities and clean-up costs for tree removal and similar, he said.
“As of Friday (June 3), 22 counties and two tribes have submitted damage information to the state,” Wernisch said.
The information and estimates will be reviewed to determine if the state has reached the threshold to request a disaster declaration from President Joe Biden.
The damage estimate thresholds are based on a per capita cost at the state and county level. The other factor is the overall impact of the event.
“We’re looking at them in terms of, ‘Is it beyond the means of the state or county to handle on their own?'” Wernisch said.
Lincoln County Emergency Management Director Harold Timmerman said on Friday the county doesn’t have enough public infrastructure damage to qualify for disaster aid.
But, Timmerman said, the state should have enough overall damage to qualify.
The state would need to officially request the federal disaster declaration.
Gov. Kristi Noem issued an emergency declaration not long after the May 12 storms.
Tony Mangan, the public information officer for the state’s public safety department, said if the damage in the state is enough to request disaster aid, Noem would then declare a disaster in the state.
Wernisch said the joint damage assessment ensures that FEMA and the state are aware of all the damage the local governments have identified.
If a disaster declaration is requested, FEMA will use the same data to evaluate the request, Wernisch said.
