It was reported by our reporting partners yesterday that Kosciuscko County will not be able to receive assistance as the damage reported was not enough to declare a disaster on the federal level.
Marshall County EMA Director Clyde Avery stated that reporting any damage received after a severe weather event like a tornado is critical so federal aid can be distributed. He is currently working with the commissioners to remind businesses, residents and non-profit agencies to report any damage to his office.
“They can report it to me and then I can take that information and report it to the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, or they can actually go in and report it themselves,” said Avery. “We have one agency, REMC, report that they have about $35,000 worth of costs for storm damage. The state has, I think, an $8 million threshold that they have to meet in order to ask for a Presidential declaration.”
Avery told the commissioners Monday that a new point, tilt and zoom camera was recently installed which helped him determine whether or not emergency measures needed to be taken when the storms came through on Nov. 17.
“It allows us to be able to focus on incoming weather from either the west, southwest or the north. We were able to utilize it during the November severe weather event that took place. We have the authority to monitor the type of weather that was coming into our area from further to the west. We were able to make notification to the sheriff’s department and have them notify some of the volunteer fire departments and have them go out on what we call weather watch,” Avery said.
Information Technology Director Michael Marshall assisted in the installation of the camera on a tower by the courthouse.
