FEMA Says NO
He has 30 days to appeal.
Late last night, Ocracoke Facebook pages were abuzz with the disappointing news after a copy of the letter was posted by Senator Bob Steinburg. He posted it on his personal Facebook page, not his official senator page, which caused some confusion, but it appeared to be a legitimate letter.
UPDATE: We have a link to the letter!
The governor posted a plea to Senators Tillis and Burr to help get Individual Assistance for Dorian survivors. Read that HERE.
UPDATE: This morning, Governor Cooper's office issued a statement about the FEMA denial: "This is disappointing news for families who lost everything in Hurricane Dorian and still need help. The governor will continue to work with our federal and state partners and North Carolina's congressional delegation to determine a path forward to deliver assistance to those who need it."
Cooper is also joining with other governors in a bipartisan request to Congress to enact FEMA reform. See that letter HERE.
The significant line in the letter from FEMA is: "However, based on our review...it has been determined that the impact to the individuals and households from this event is not of such severity and magnitude to warrant the designation of Individual Assistance..."
Tell that to the families whose houses are unlivable or even demolished!
The sad fact is that FEMA has guidelines and they looked at the damage in NC, including Ocracoke, and although they recognize our losses and offer their thoughts and prayers, there aren't enough of us to matter. We don't meet their threshold of destruction.
When Governor Cooper visited Ocracoke, he and his staff told us that they expected the Public Assistance declaration to be made (it was, on October 4), but they weren't confident about the Individual Assistance. The same sentiment was echoed by Joe Stanton of NC Emergency Management at Ocracoke's town hall meeting on September 29.
Stanton also said, "It never hurts to reach out [to elected officials]. It helps them to be reminded, even after the [Public Assistance] declaration, it helps to remind people."
Ocracoke! That's a call to action! Call these people! They work for us!
U.S. Senator Richard Burr
(202) 224-6342, Winston-Salem office at (800) 685-8916
https://www.burr.senate.gov/
U.S. Senator Thom Tillis
(202) 224-6342
https://www.tillis.senate.gov/
Congressman Greg Murphy
NC District 3
(202) 225-3415
Governor Roy Cooper
919-814-2000 https://governor.nc.gov/
North Carolina General Assembly:
Senator Bob Steinburg
(919) 715-8293
Bob.Steinburg@ncleg.net
Representative Bobby Hannig
919-733-5906
Bobby.Hanig@ncleg.net
