Feds' wallet opens to individuals hit by flood

The Bush administration Sunday issued a wider emergency declaration for the two Washington counties hit hardest by last week's floods. That clears the way for the sort of financial aid that Gov. Christine Gregoire and other state leaders have been pushing for.

Under the order granting expanded aid to residents of Lewis and Grays Harbor counties, flood victims can apply for up to $28,800 in cash grants. The individual assistance is available to renters, homeowners and businesses that suffered storm-related damage.

The action also authorizes Gregoire to issue emergency unemployment benefits and food stamps.

"FEMA will continue to coordinate with federal and state agencies to assess needs for more federal aid to assist in response and recovery efforts," the agency's director, R. David Paulison, said in a statement.

Gregoire got word of the additional aid in a phone call from Paulison shortly after noon Sunday. A limited emergency declaration by President Bush on Saturday did not include aid for individuals.

"I'll tell you what I told him: 'God bless you,' " she said Sunday.

"This is such a relief for all of those folks. The first few days of a tragedy are about saving people's lives," she said. "Then when you're done with that, it just sets in, 'My life has been saved but my life has been turned upside down.' That brings high emotions and frustrations, and it's getting more dramatic."

She said Federal Emergency Management Agency crews in Lewis County determined there was enough damage and people displaced by the floods to warrant expanded assistance. A more detailed review of Grays Harbor County took place Sunday; the county was already covered by the declaration.

The governor said she and Paulison also talked about the likely need to expand individual assistance to other flooded counties in the state.

The emergency food stamps will be available to help people restock their homes. People told the governor over the weekend that they'd had to throw everything out after floodwaters rushed through their kitchens.

In addition, the state has issued a contract to collect and dispose of dead livestock.

The state Department of Ecology has workers in the flood areas because of hazardous waste and oil spills. And after hearing from House Minority Leader Richard DeBolt, R-Chehalis, on Saturday, Gregoire is trying to get more engineers, electricians and other skilled workers into the flooded areas.

Saturday, Bush had issued a limited emergency declaration as some of his top emergency and transportation officials were touring flood damage with Gregoire, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Bremerton.

Carlos Castillo, FEMA's assistant administrator for disaster assistance, was on a helicopter with them and was urged at stops in Lewis and Grays Harbor counties to speed approval of federal aid.

There were also FEMA teams on the ground in both places gathering information needed before the more expansive disaster aid could be approved.

The Saturday declaration was for so-called public assistance. That freed up federal money for debris removal and any continuing emergency-response needs.

But the individual assistance is what Gregoire has wanted. In Chehalis Saturday, she said Bush should act quickly so flood victims would not have to wait any longer for help.

David Postman: 360-236-8267 or dpostman@seattletimes.com