Advertisement

Crawford County will likely get FEMA funding for roads, bridges

Error message

  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 133 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to get property 'settings' of non-object in _simpleads_adgroup_settings() (line 343 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Warning: array_merge(): Expected parameter 1 to be an array, bool given in _simpleads_render_ajax_template() (line 157 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/includes/simpleads.helper.inc).
  • Notice: Trying to access array offset on value of type null in include() (line 24 of /home/pdccourier/www/www/sites/all/modules/simpleads/templates/simpleads_ajax_call.tpl.php).

By Ted Pennekamp

Crawford County Emergency Government Director Jim Hackett told the Crawford County Board Tuesday morning that the county will almost certainly get FEMA assistance for the flood and rain damages caused by the storms of Sept. 21 and 22.

“We will reach the threshold,” said Hackett, who noted that the threshold for the 12-county area that sustained damages to roads, bridges and other public infrastructure is $8.5 million. Hackett said  Vernon County will go over $6 million. An estimate, as of Sept. 29, for Crawford County was $3,463,950. “It’s a matter of when, not if,” said Hackett about the possibility of receiving FEMA funding.

The 12 counties include Adams, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Eau Claire, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Vernon and Wood.

Due to heavy rain on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, there was a train derailment with no injuries, widespread damage and two fatalities in southwest Wisconsin.

“We handled it very well,” said Hackett in praising the efforts of the sheriff’s department, the highway department, the health department, human services, and local fire departments, EMTs, and other emergency personnel in coordinating with each other.

Hackett said two vehicles got swept off of roadways during the storm and rescue efforts were successful. An especially daring and flawless swift water rescue was done by Soldiers Grove Assistant Fire Chief Ben Clason, with help from other emergency personnel, Hackett said. At 3 a.m., Sept. 22, in rural Utica Township, Jane Keeley was driving on Johnstown Road when her car was swept off the road and into a field. Keeley was rescued by Clason, the only person with swift water rescue training in the area.

Hackett also praised the efforts of the townships in getting their damage estimates, bids, photos and all other necessary information to FEMA personnel in a fast and efficient manner.

“All of the townships were very diligent,” said Hackett, noting that townships had only two days to get information into the binders FEMA relies upon.

Hackett said damage estimates will still increase. He said FEMA personnel questioned some bids at first but then changed their minds when they took a tour of parts of Crawford County.

“The photos only show so much,” he said. “It’s different when you see it in person. As soon as they saw Rush Creek Road, it was an eye opener.”

Hackett said it will be a long recovery process for public infrastructure as well as for private property. It is not yet clear whether private damage estimates will meet the FEMA threshold.

Emergency management and human services continue working toward gathering assistance for individuals. Couleecap has funding available to help recover such items as furnaces and water heaters. Emergency management is also working toward a Community Development Block Grant for housing assistance.

If a federal disaster is declared for the 12-county area, a joint field office will be set up. Funds would be given to the state, which in turn would give the funds to the counties and private citizens.

In other county board business, a 1.5 percent raise in January and in July of 2017 was recently approved for all county employees.

Rate this article: 
No votes yet