President Biden has granted a federal emergency disaster declaration to speed the recovery efforts in 121 Texas counties affected by Hurricane Beryl. The current disaster declaration covers two different categories, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell.
"Category A is debris removal. We'll work with the counties and the jurisdictions as their removing the debris that was caused by this storm to either reimburse the communities for that debris removal or we can provide support to help them with that," Criswell said.
"The other category right now is Category B, which is emergency protective measures, and so that helps reimburse the state and the jurisdictions for any of their sheltering costs or that evacuation costs."
The Category B disaster declaration coverage also allows FEMA to bring in generators if needed, but also to mobilize other federal resources to help with lifesaving or life-sustaining activities.
"What (the disaster declaration) doesn't cover right now is individuals that have damage to their homes," Criswell said. "What we're going to have to do is do an assessment to see what the impact is. We can always add on more programs if we think that they're needed."
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Criswell said the Biden administration has been working to simplify the bureaucracy for applying for individual assistance where that applies. Those changes went into effect in March and do apply to other disaster declarations, such as the declaration that followed the May derecho.
Criswell also underscored concerns about the ongoing threat posed by triple-digit heat following Beryl.
"You don't have to just be in a place that doesn't have power. If you're outside and you're helping or starting to clean up from the impact and the damages and the debris from the storm, you need to make sure that you're taking care of yourself," Criswell said. "We know that more people die of heat-related illnesses every year than many of our other disasters combined."
Patrick, Kidd address ongoing power outages
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick spoke with Biden earlier Tuesday to negotiate the terms of the disaster declaration, as Patrick was touring regions damaged by the storm.
Patrick said the state is still evaluating how well CenterPoint was to cope with the power outages Beryl caused. He said he'd been in frequent contact with CenterPoint before, during, and since the storm.
"We are urging them to work as quickly as they can to restore the power in the safest but in the quickest way they can, because we know – as a long-time citizen of this area who's lived through a lot of hurricanes, I've been without power for weeks. I know what that's like, and we know what that's like for the citizens of Texas."
The storm caused a total of 2.7 million power outages, surpassing the record of 2.1 million outages set during Hurricane Ike in 2008. Patrick said the focus now must be on the actions CenterPoint is taking in the present to restore power. But he added that, "If they made mistakes – we don't know if they did or not – if they made mistakes beforehand, then that will be addressed by the (Public Utility Commission). That's their job. And by the state Legislature. That's our job."
Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, accompanied Patrick on his tour. He described how the federal disaster declaration will benefit areas hit by Beryl.
RELATED: Cooling centers, shelters open across Houston area in aftermath of Hurricane Beryl
"The emergency declaration that (Acting) Governor Patrick worked on with the president will grant 75% reimbursement for debris cleanup," Kidd said. "And that is for all 121 impacted counties at this point. We will be working to make sure that the debris is picked up as fast as possible."
Kidd warned that dangerous consequences of Beryl remain even as the storm leaves Texas.
"Power outages, right now, and restoring power is our number one priority," Kidd said. "There will still be places where there is water crossing roads. Please help us get the message out to turn around, don't drown. Do not drive through low water if you don't have to."
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