As Lincoln County prepared for the Jan. 4 bomb cyclone of weather, Casey Stevens, Lincoln County EMA director, sent local towns news that President Trump had just signed FEMA-4354.

This “Disaster Request for the State of Maine” was the result of work by counties, municipalities and Maine Emergency Management Agency to document damage from the Oct. 30, storm so the state could meet the $1.9 million threshold to apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency relief.

Stevens forwarded an email from acting MEMA director Peter Rogers, who explained he was notified by phone of the presidential signature on Tuesday, Jan. 2. “All 13 counties who met the threshold were approved,” Rogers said in the message.

According to Stevens, members of the federal agency were in Maine in November and visited six towns in Lincoln County to survey the damage.

Susan Faloon, MEMA public information officer, explained the process.  “FEMA ... worked in teams with MEMA and local officials to validate preliminary damage estimates.”

In addition to site visits, Faloon said, “They measured debris piles at local transfer stations and were able to use a formula based on the height and width of the piles to help determine the extent of the damage.”

MEMA asked counties for preliminary damage assessments by Nov. 30. Faloon said each county has a different preliminary damage threshold for FEMA funding based on population. Going forward, to qualify for disaster relief, each town must now be able to document at least $3,100 in damages.  

All counties except Washington, Androscoggin and Aroostook met the preliminary threshold. MEMA also included statements about the storm’s impact and critical services that were interrupted. When they had as much information as possible, the agency then asked the governor to sign the request for a presidential disaster declaration.

Assistance from FEMA will not include damage to private property or losses to businesses. “The funds are for repairs to public infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, schools and town buildings,” Faloon said.

MEMA encourages those with storm-related damage to private property to contact their insurance company or their town’s general assistance administrator.

This week, county EMA personnel will begin using a FEMA portal to input information so the monies can be distributed.  The date to receive the checks is not yet known. “We’re rolling out as we speak,” Faloon said; the amounts will cover 75 percent of the losses that aren’t already covered by insurance.

Maine’s MEMA staff is pleased with how quickly the process worked. “When you consider all of the disasters that occurred in the U.S. this past year, it’s really great that FEMA was able to respond so quickly,” Faloon said. She credited excellent teamwork by all those involved at the federal, state and county levels.