President declares major disaster for Illinois         

Logan County included in ice storm disaster aid

[FEB. 10, 2007]  WASHINGTON -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Illinois to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm from November 30 to December 1, 2006.

FEMA Director David Paulison said federal funding is available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm in the counties of Bond, Calhoun, Christian, DeWitt, Fayette, Jersey, Logan, Macon, Macoupin, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Montgomery, Piatt, Sangamon, Shelby, St. Clair, and Woodford.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Paulison named Michael H. Smith the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Smith said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

FEMA manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident, initiates mitigation activities and manages the National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA works closely with state and local emergency managers, law enforcement personnel, firefighters and other first responders. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.

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