Six more counties have been added to the FEMA assistance list as of Saturday, including Christian, Hart, Hickman, Logan, Lyon and Ohio — per Governor Andy Beshear.
In total, 18 Kentucky counties suffered some variance of damage during last weekend’s swathe of storms and tornadoes, with several of those counties already declared federal disaster areas and personnel tending to those needs.
There are three ways in which citizens can reach out to FEMA responders, including online at disasterassistance.gov, through a FEMA phone application, or through a phone call at 1 (800) 621-3362 — all of which Beshear noted would help expedite the process of property restoration.
As of Saturday morning, the Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund surpassed $19 million through more than 100,000 financiers, and Beshear said funeral coverage from the fund will be increased from $5,000 to $10,000 — doubling original promises to the families who will have to bury loved ones in the coming days.
Beshear has repeatedly state that those who lost everything, and were without homeowners insurance, needed to be the next on the list for assistance from the WKTRF. On Saturday, he said he’s working with his officials to create a program that provides 10% more than FEMA’s max reimbursement on property loss — which at this point is $37,900.
A 10% increase on that would give those who qualified another $3,790. Beshear stated anywhere between 1,000 and 2,000 families who suffered serious damage or total loss were without homeowners insurance.
Beshear said Kentucky Public Health is listing its current death toll at 75, but that his office count currently sits at 78 — adding another death in Logan County that was announced late Friday night. One of those 78 dead came from someone assisting cleanup efforts in the Commonwealth, and he wasn’t sure of Kentucky Public Health had the same person registered to its death toll.
No one remains reported as missing in these storms, in what was a positive to the Governor’s report.
Federal unemployment assistance is now available through the Kentucky Unemployment Office, though Beshear seemed frustrated by the litigation required. Individuals who were employed or self-employed and impacted by the storms must first apply for traditional unemployment, then get denied, before they can apply for the federal unemployment relief.
From there, workers and business owners must show employment was lost or interrupted through a Social Security number, a copy of most recent income tax forms (if available) and a recent check stub from the place of work. Beshear noted this might be extremely difficult, considering the process doesn’t take those who have lost everything into consideration.
Required documentation would have to be submitted no less than 21 days following FUA acceptance. To apply, visit kcc.ky.gov or call 1 (800) 875-0442. In-person visits to help file are available in Bowling Green, Madisonville, Elizabethtown, Owensboro and Mayfield.
***More than 900 displaced Kentuckians and first-responders are currently being housed at seven state parks. Beshear said volunteers have filled staffing issues through Christmas Eve, but volunteers are needed from Christmas Day through the early part of January 2022.
