Story originally printed in the Westby Times or online at www.westbytimes.com
Published - Thursday, July 03, 2008
FEMA offices in Vernon, Crawford counties to close Sunday
The Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Centers in Vernon and Crawford counties will close on Sunday at 6 p.m.
FEMA announced the offices, located in Viroqua and Soldiers Grove, would be closing. However, those with questions can still call the FEAM toll-free helpline at 1-800-621-3362.
“The number of applications received in these two areas has declined, and we feel that the majority of those needing assistance have taken advantage of these centers’ services,” Dolph Diemont of FEMA said.
Diemont heads up FEMA’s disaster response and recovery in Wisconsin.
The centers were opened after Vernon and Crawford counties after the Kickapoo River watershed flooded after heavy rains fell on June 6-7. In Vernon County, severe flooding occurred in Ontario, La Farge, Viola and Readstown. County officials have said damage from the flood may total $75 million. The flooding was the start of what has become known as the “Great Flood of 2008,” which has swamped communities in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri. There have been 24 deaths due to the flooding and 38,000 people have been left homeless.
In Wisconsin, 29 counties were deemed federal disaster areas and residents in those counties are eligible for FEMA assistance. As of Monday, about 450 FEMA claims had been made in Vernon County.
Wisconsin Emergency Management Administrator Johnnie Smith said officials operating the FEMA offices in this area will be transferred to other areas in need.
“When we determine an area has been successfully served, we can then close that center and move its staff to a new area that has yet to be served,” Smith said.
To date the disaster recovery center in Viroqua has aided 160 FEMA aid applicants with questions while the center in Soldiers Grove had helped 100 FEMA aid applicants.
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