Will Biden’s Disaster Declaration Really Help the Flagstaff Area?

FLAGSTAFF, AZ – The President’s first disaster statement not related to COVID-19 in seven years was released this week in Arizona, but there are questions for some people who live in Coconino County whether there will be help, to support the flash floods in their country’s neighborhoods.

ABC15 has dealt with flash floods in Flagstaff along the museum’s burn scar that has resulted in recurring flash flood events.

In the disaster declaration, however, the dates for the severe flash floods in the third week of July are not included because of the damage threshold.

The statement, approved by President Joe Biden, applies to events July 22-24 for Counties Coconino, Apache, and Navajo.

In a press release on Tuesday, district officials wrote that the declaration for these days does not include the museum’s floodplain as there was no flood on those days: “Also, the president’s disaster declaration is based on the impact on public infrastructure in the three districts and” does not result in flood-affected individuals receiving FEMA Individual Aid or SBA Low-Interest Disaster Loans, “a statement said.

The county said the statement may have an indirect impact: “It will have an indirect impact on Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff, with funding potentially being allocated to address the impact of flooding on public infrastructure that has occurred during that period.” remedy .”

Residents in the flood are now wondering whether the public infrastructure declaration will help mitigate the flash floods in their neighborhoods.

Since the flood events along the burn scars are distinct events, it is unclear what comes next for those who live nearby.

A FEMA official said there are still funds the county can apply for that are not tied to deadlines.

“The disaster declaration activated the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). All counties within the state in which the disaster was declared can apply for an HMGP grant. Funds are delivered to the state by FEMA and grant applications are reviewed and approved by the state.

Examples of successful flood protection grants are:

1. Increasing the capacity of culverts or diversion of rainwater drains,

2. Reinforcement dike systems,

3. Construction of berms around vulnerable water treatment systems (flood protection),

4. Provision of funds to increase vulnerable (repeated losses / severe recurring losses) homes, and

5. Financing of public security programs (outreach). “

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