COLUMBUS — Damage assessment teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) will join Ohio Emergency Management Agency (Ohio EMA) officials in a joint preliminary damage assessment of areas in 10 counties damaged by last week’s tornadoes.
Ohio EMA Executive Director Sima Merick requested last week that FEMA and SBA conduct the preliminary damage assessment to determine if Ohio is eligible to receive federal assistance for those impacted by the Memorial Day storms.
The damage assessment will occur Wednesday and Thursday. The schedule is as follows:
- Montgomery and Greene counties – June 5 and 6;
- Auglaize, Hocking, Mercer and Pickaway counties – June 5; and
- Darke, Miami, Muskingum and Perry counties– June 6.
“The goal of tomorrow’s assessment is to provide the state with a count of the number of destroyed homes and businesses, as well as those with minor and major damage,” Merick said. “That information will be used to determine if Ohio meets the federal guidelines and that, if any, potential federal assistance will be available to disaster survivors and businesses.”
Once the joint preliminary damage assessment is complete, FEMA and SBA will give their report to the Ohio EMA. If federal impact criteria are met, Governor Mike DeWine can request a Presidential Disaster Declaration, and President Donald Trump would ultimately determine whether any federal assistance is granted.
The types of federal assistance that Ohio could potentially qualify for include:
- FEMA Individual Assistance: limited grant assistance, and
- SBA: low-interest loans.
In order to qualify for this federal funding, Ohio must meet a complex set of “impact criteria” set by FEMA. If the impact from last week’s storms do not meet federal criteria, there may be assistance available from entities such as the Ohio Development Services Agency, the Treasurer of Ohio, and local long-term recovery committees.
The National Weather Service confirmed 21 tornadoes struck Ohio Memorial Day night through the morning of May 28. These include one EF 4, two EF 3s, four EF-2s, six EF-1s and eight EF-0s.
- EF4 – Trotwood, Montgomery County
- EF3 – Beavercreek, Greene County
- EF3 – Celina, Mercer County
- EF2 – South of Vandalia, Montgomery County
- EF2 – Near Laurelville, Hocking County
- EF2 – Near West Milton, Miami County
- EF2 – Northeast of Jamestown, Greene County
- EF1 – South of Tarlton, Pickaway County
- EF1 – Roseville, Perry County
- EF1 – New Madison, Darke County
- EF1 – West of Wapakoneta, Auglaize County
- EF1 – Jamestown, Greene County
- EF1 – South of Hollandsburg, Darke County
- EF0 – Elizabeth Township, Miami County
- EF0 – Uniopolis, Auglaize County
- EF0 – Near Phillipsburg, Miami/Montgomery counties
- EF0 – Southeast of Circleville, Pickaway County
- EF0 – Waynesfield, Auglaize County
- EF0 – Between Belle Center & Kenton, Hardin County
- EF0 – Northwest of Zaleski, Vinton County
- EF0 – South of Troy, Miami County
NOTE: Members of the media wishing to observe the assessment process should meet at Madison Lakes, 581 Olive Road, Trotwood, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. (State Media POC Jay Carey, Ohio EMA External Affairs at 614-582-9801′ FEMA Media POC: Troy C
