Whitley County included in requested presidential disaster declaration

Following severe weather in April, Kentucky’s federal congressional delegation sent a joint letter to President Joseph Biden, urging his approval of Gov. Andy Beshear’s request for a major disaster declaration, which would release federal funding assistance in 11 Kentucky counties, including Whitley County.

The letter was signed by U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Senator Rand Paul, and Representatives Hal Rogers (KY-05), James Comer (KY-01), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03) and Andy Barr (KY-06), showing bipartisan support for Beshear’s request for a major disaster declaration for the Commonwealth of Kentucky stemming from April’s severe weather.

In addition to the severe wind, thunderstorms, mudslides, and flooding that hit the Commonwealth, more than a dozen tornadoes swept through Kentucky. At the height of the storm’s impact, more than 32,000 customers were without power. Tragically, 22 Kentuckians were injured and one Kentuckian perished because of the storm conditions.

“Kentucky has faced a number of major disasters in recent years. As you know from your previous visits, in just the past four years, Kentucky has been devastated by some of the worst tornadoes and floods in state history,” the delegation wrote in the letter.

“Kentucky has received eight major disaster declarations since 2020, not including COVID-19. Further, some counties included in the governor’s request have been included in as many as six major disaster declarations, and thus, federal assistance is needed.”

Beshear submitted the request on April 30, 2024, for the tornado and severe weather event that began on April 2, 2024.

The letter seeks assistance for the following counties, including: Boyd, Carter, Fayette, Greenup, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Mason, Oldham, Union, and Whitley.

Whitley County Emergency Management Director Jerry Rains said that he is “cautiously optimistic” about getting the federal disaster declaration, and it’s just a matter of waiting for President Biden to make his decision at this point.

Rains said that after the storm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) came down and did a joint damage assessment with him in Whitley County where a total of 21 homes were surveyed.

The survey showed that 10 homes were destroyed in the Diamond Acres RV Resort. Out of the remaining 11 homes surveyed, four had major damage, three had minor damage and four were affected. All of the residents did have insurance.