County takes no action on disaster declaration

Megan Gray Hatfield Staff Writer, Gainesville Daily Register, Texas
·1 min read

Feb. 22—Members of the Cooke County Commissioners' Court unanimously agreed Monday morning to take no action on the county's emergency disaster declaration related to last week's Arctic blast.

"It won't impact whether or not any more assistance is granted or received," Cooke County Emergency Management Coordinator Ray Fletcher told county commissioners Monday, Feb. 22. "It did what it needed to do for the time it needed to do it."

All members of the court were present for the vote.

According to information provided to county commissioners, Cooke County Judge Steve Starnes issued a disaster declaration for the county Saturday, Feb. 13 in connection with the wintry blast that led county residents to see heavy snowfall on Valentine's Day, Sunday, Feb. 14.

The emergency declaration is allowed to continue for a period of up to seven days unless renewed by members of the commissioners' court.

Fletcher told members of the court that damage assessments from last week's storm are "ongoing."

He also said that Cooke County was one of the 77 counties in the state that was recently declared eligible for federal assistance for individuals by President Joseph "Joe" Biden at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's request. There are 254 counties in Texas. Biden said all 254 counties are eligible for public assistance for emergency protective measures only.

Individuals and business owners in counties included in the president's declaration who sustained losses can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585.

"Registering with FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency] for assistance is a process," Fletcher said. "Follow the paperwork, do what they ask you to do."