FEMA reimbursement process begins

Representatives of governmental agencies from across Kanawha County were given applications during a Wednesday meeting that they will use to apply for reimbursement for the money spent in response to the Jan. 9 chemical leak and water emergency that followed.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved Kanawha and eight other counties for public assistance. The reimbursement rate is 75 percent.

Kanawha County Emergency Manager Dale Petry said it was clear again during Wednesday’s meeting that the water emergency was a county-wide event.

“All of the emergency personnel that worked with these different municipalities, our county volunteers (firefighters), our county ambulance service, local contractors who stepped up to help us. There were a lot of people involved behind the scenes that nobody realized,” Petry said.

It appears overtime costs will be the big item for reimbursement from the different groups. Petry said there would be some equipment use reimbursement. He expects the total bill to top $200,000.

Once the applications are finished a meeting will be scheduled with FEMA. Petry said the reimbursement of this emergency would likely be quicker than other emergencies like flooding or the derecho.

“We had to tell them (in previous incidents) the work we had to do but now the work has been completed. We feel it should be a much quicker process,” Petry said.