Damage study begins in mobile home park devastated by Gaylord tornado
GAYLORD — Officials from the state and federal level Wednesday began to assess the damage from the May 20 tornado that struck Gaylord as part of the process to receive additional help from the federal government for the area.
They descended on the Nottingham Forest Mobile Home Park, which was one of the initial areas hit by the storm, to conduct a joint preliminary damage assessment, a first step in seeking the aid.
The tornado left shredded houses and shattered glass where safe havens, resting places, and family bases once stood in the mobile home park. The only two fatalities from the storm, women in their 70s, occurred in the park.
"Local officials will be taking us around and showing us the damage caused by the storm so we can understand what the impact is (on the community)," said Cassie Kohn, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) spokesperson from Chicago.
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Kohn said there is no dollar threshold that needs to be met when assessing damage done to individuals.
"We look at the severity of the damage, how the community is able to recover and what resources are available," she said. "We also want to know what the volunteer agencies are providing and look for any gaps in helping individuals.
"FEMA can't assist with insured losses as that would be a duplication of benefits. We want to understand what uninsured losses people have," added Kohn.
When a major disaster occurs, a federal disaster declaration can provide money and services to people in the affected area whose property has been damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by insurance.
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Kohn said the damage assessment will include the number of homes that were damaged.
"That will be part of the picture we are painting and seeing if the community is capable of helping these people recover and if there is a need for federal assistance," said Kohn.
She said FEMA will provide all of its data and findings to state officials.
"They will decide if it is beyond their capabilities to recover. They can then request a federal disaster declaration and (that) will go to FEMA and up to the White House for a decision," Kohn said.
Representatives of the Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and local officials are participating in the damage assessment process.
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This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Damage study begins in mobile home park devastated by Gaylord tornado
