President Joe Biden on Friday approved Gov. Kim Reynolds' request for federal aid for areas of Iowa affected by tornadoes this week, including the deadly one that struck Greenfield.
President Biden issued a major disaster declaration Tuesday for Adair, Montgomery, Polk and Storey counties, which were affected by the severe weather.
Tornadoes touched down in multiple areas, but the town of Greenfield was hit the hardest. Reynolds said Thursday that 153 homes in Adair County were destroyed by the storm. The Iowa Department of Public Safety also confirmed this week that four Greenfield residents were killed in the tornado and at least 35 were injured. The tornado also caused extensive damage to buildings in the city, including the local hospital.
President Biden's disaster declaration makes federal funds available for disaster relief and recovery efforts.
The available funding comes from two main sources: the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Individual Assistance Program, which allows affected residents and businesses to apply for assistance with expenses and services related to weather-related damage to their homes and personal property, medical bills, and legal costs, and the U.S. Small Business Administration's Disaster Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans to affected businesses.
Federal funds are FEMA Disaster Assistance Website And that SBA Loan Portal.
In Greenfield and Adair counties, federal funding will also be made available to state, local and tribal governments, as well as some nonprofit organizations, on a cost-sharing basis for debris removal and emergency work.
In a news release about the announcement, Reynolds thanked Biden and FEMA Administrator DeAnn Criswell. I met up with her in Greenfield on Thursday. – For responding quickly to emergency situations.
“This assistance is critical to Iowa's recovery process,” Reynolds said in a statement.
Reynolds also opened Iowa's assistance to those affected by the recent severe weather, including the four counties outlined in the presidential proclamation and the 38 other counties under the state disaster emergency declaration.
This means Iowa households earning at or below 200% of the federal poverty line can apply for the Iowa Personal Assistance Grant Program to receive grants of up to $5,000 to repair their homes or vehicles or replace lost or damaged property.
Those affected by the recent storms Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management website.
