Politics & Government
Understanding the Disaster Relief Equation
Both Missouri and the federal government have pledged to give resources as cleanup efforts continue in Joplin following a devastating tornado.
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As the recovery process gets underway following the deadly tornado that left behind a four-mile path of destruction in Joplin on Sunday, asking who pays for a natural disaster may seem upsetting.
The death toll in Joplin is still rising. Hundreds are listed as unaccounted for. The stories and images of death and survival coming from southwest Missouri are gut wrenching. How could anyone ask about the cost?
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Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, meanwhile, has promised numerous times to make every tool and resource available to sustain the thousands of victims of the tornado in Joplin through the long and difficult recovery process.
The governor sent in the Missouri National Guard soon after the tornado struck Sunday.
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The Federal Emergency Management Agency arrived soon afterward.
On Monday, a federal disaster declaration was extended to include Jasper County and Newton County.
U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-MO, asked the federal government to pick up all of the cost Thursday.
The federal government typically will pay 75 percent of the cleanup and recovery cost following a federal disaster declaration. Local governments pay about 15 percent, and the state covers the remaining 10 percent.
Early estimates put the cost of the damage in Joplin anywhere from $2 billion to $3 billion.
Who pays when a natural disaster strikes? We all do.
Survivors of any federally declared natural disaster in need of assistance need to contact FEMA directly by calling 1-800-621-3362 or apply directly for the disaster assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
The State Emergency Management Agency is recommending that people who would like to donate to the Joplin recovery effort should consider contributing to a recognized disaster relief organization. The division of the Missouri Department of Public Safety provides other tips on its website.
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