How a state requests federal aid following a natural disaster
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) - As of Monday evening, Missouri has four pending requests for federal aid for spring storm damage. The earliest of these requests is now two months old, and still awaiting approval from the White House.
This spring, Missouri has been afflicted by at least four disastrous storms:
- March 14-15: Thirteen lives were taken in storms that spanned 25 counties. The governor requested individual and public assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
- March 30 - April 8: Six lives were taken in storms that covered 26 counties, many the same as storms just two weeks prior. The governor again request both individual and public assistance.
- April 29: In the latest of the governor’s requests, he asked for aid for six counties that saw severe storms and eight tornadoes. Those counties are Barry, Greene, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton and Washington.
- May 16: The governor requested emergency aid in the form of $5 million that would help with disaster response to tornadoes in the St. Louis and Cape Girardeau areas. Seven lives were taken by these Friday storms.
None of the requests have been answered yet. It takes a long bureaucratic process for the state to apply for federal disaster aid.
Before or after a disaster, the governor can issue a “state of emergency declaration.” This lasts for 30 days and allows agencies like the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Guard to work directly with local governments. Missouri has been in a state of emergency since storms in April; Kehoe extended the declaration ahead of Friday’s storms.
On Wednesday, several state and federal agencies will travel to the disaster-stricken counties to survey damage from Friday’s storm. Once they have an assessment of the damage, the state will send all of that information to the White House to request a “Presidential Disaster Declaration”.
Copyright 2025 KFVS. All rights reserved.
