Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin has decided to appeal the federal government’s decision to deny individual disaster assistance to residents and business owners in six counties following Hurricane Sandy.
FEMA spokesman Frank Blake says the governor has exercised his option to appeal. He says damage assessment teams will head back out into three counties beginning Monday.
Blake says the teams will look at Wyoming, Upshur and Raleigh counties. He says Tucker County will also get a second look.
“Assessments were very difficult after the snowfall,” Blake said. “First of all, it was hard to get around and in many cases people didn’t have phone service and couldn’t get out to report their damages to their county emergency managers so we never knew about certain damages.”
Blake says some new damages may come to light.
Gov. Tomblin used the same appeal option after his request was turned down for individual assistance for counties following the June 29 derecho. That worked and several counties did eventually gain individual assistance.
Individual assistance is for residents, business owners and renters. Public assistance has already been awarded to the state, several counties and municipalities following the snowstorm.