TROUP COUNTY, Ga. — Survivors of the March EF3 tornado in Troup County won’t be getting federal recovery assistance.
FEMA said the damage statewide wasn’t enough to merit federal help. In order to get FEMA help, there has to be at least $19 million in damage statewide. But FEMA said the damage left behind from the storm didn’t meet that threshold.
Art Leggellier said three months after the tornado ripped through the area, one of the tarps on his roof has rotted away and he can’t find anyone to replace it.
“I’d like to find somebody that can put a tarp up for me,” Leggellier told Channel 2′s Richard Elliot. “I got a good tarp on one side of my house. I got a cheap tarp on the other side and it’s rotted already. Every time it rains, it rains in my living room and my kitchen.”
Elliot obtained the letter from the FEMA director to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office essentially saying the damage didn’t meet the threshold for federal assistance.
“Therefore, I must inform you that your request for a major disaster declaration is denied,” the letter said.
Kemp’s office told Elliot that it’s now working with the Small Business Administration to help employers get disaster assistance loans to rebuild and recover.
“It’s tough. It’s even more disappointing for me as a human when you see this denied,” said Zac Steele, Troup County’s Emergency Management Director.
With the denial of federal help, Steele said it’s all on them now and the state of Georgia.
“Whatever’s out there, we’re exploring. We’re making phone calls, we’re receiving phone calls. So we’re working around to try and see what’s out there and as soon as we get that information obviously from the county’s point, we’ll push that out,” Steele said.
Crews have cleared much of the debris from the storm, even tore down a number of homes, but for the people who live there, they say there’s still a lot to do.
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