Kerr County declared in a ‘State of Disaster’

On Monday, Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly signed a proclamation declaring the county in a “Local State of Disaster” due to the severe and damaging winter weather experienced last week in the Hill Country. This recent move will aid local residents in getting one step closer to being able to receive federal funds to repair and recover from damages caused by the winter storm.

Governor Abbott signed a statewide disaster declaration before the winter storm on February 12, and requested both public assistance and individual assistance in getting Texans through this once-in-a-century storm.

Originally, FEMA had approved 77 counties for both public and individual assistance, with Kerr County only being approved for public assistance, according to Kerr County Emergency Management Coordinator Dub Thomas.

FEMA defines individual assistance as money given directly to residents who “sustained losses due to disaster” to help them repair and recover, while public assistance is provided to repair or replace infrastructure damaged or destroyed by disaster.

Thomas said, “Since Kerr County has already been included in the disaster declaration for public assistance, we have been given a tool that will greatly help local, emergency management, as well as state and federal government determine the scope of the damage.”

Any Kerr County resident or business owners who have damage to their homes or businesses-as a result of the storm- should report damages to https://arcg.is/uOrOb.

Any farmer or rancher in Kerr County who may have lost crops or livestock due to the storm has separate federal assistance programs available to them. For more information contact the Texas Agrilife Extension office at (830) 257-6568.