O'Bannon declares emergency in Northern and Central Indiana; asks feds for help

Governor Frank O'Bannon today declared that a state of disaster emergency exists in flood-damaged Central and Northern Indiana and asked President Bush to provide federal aid to help flood victims recover.

O'Bannon flew over Adams, Carroll, Cass, Howard, Tipton and Wells counties Monday to survey damage done to Hoosiers' homes and businesses, as well as that done to local roads and other infrastructure. Meanwhile, officials from the State Emergency Management Agency gathered more data that - together with his own observations - persuaded the governor to declare the emergency.

Several counties have declared emergencies, but it takes a gubernatorial declaration for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to consider whether to provide financial assistance to help victims recover. O'Bannon determined that 25 Indiana counties may be eligible for assistance.

The counties are Adams, Allen, Blackford, Carroll, Cass, Clinton, Delaware, Grant, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jay, Madison, Marion, Miami, Randolph, Tippecanoe, Tipton, Wabash, Wayne, Wells, White and Whitley.  Other counties may be added to the list as more information becomes available.

"The flight we took yesterday gave visual confirmation to the data that we had coming into the state's Emergency Operations Center, and it was enough to persuade me that these folks needed help," the governor said. "I saw severe flooding, homes with two or three feet of water around them and two toppled high-tension electric towers.

"I'm hopeful the federal government will recognize that Hoosiers have been hit hard and need help."

Heavy thunderstorms - totaling as much as 18 inches of rain in some locations - have pummeled the area since Friday, resulting in record flood levels in numerous rivers and streams and vast damage to homes, businesses and public facilities, including streets and roads. Three people have died.

FEMA sent a team to Indiana Monday at the request of SEMA Executive Director Pat Ralston. FEMA will make a recommendation to the president, who must approve federal aid.

Generally, at least 200 homes must have been severely damaged and public roads and other infrastructure must have sustained $6 million in damages for federal assistance to be provided.

        The types of assistance are:

*       Disaster housing assistance, administered by FEMA and 100 percent federally funded, for individuals and families whose homes were destroyed or made unlivable as a result of flooding. Assistance includes temporary housing and minimal home repair to make the home livable.
*       Low-interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners, renters or business owners for the repair, replacement or rebuilding of property.
*       Grants through the Individual and Family Grant Program for serious immediate needs that cannot be met by other sources. The federal government pays 75 percent of the costs for this program; the state pays 25 percent.
*       The Public Assistance Program provides money to offset unusually high costs for local governments' emergency efforts to protect human life. If the request were approved, FEMA would pay 75 percent of eligible costs.

Also today, 55 Indiana National Guard troops - members of the 2-152 mechanized battalion out of Marion - were dispatched to Decatur to help with sandbagging.

Reporters' contacts:
Governor's office: Mary Dieter or Andrew Stoner, 317-232-4578
SEMA: Alden Taylor, 317-232-5276
[an error occurred while processing this directive]