PIERRE, S.D (Press Release) – Gov. Kristi Noem has requested that FEMA join state and local teams for a preliminary assessment of damages to public property as a result of the severe winter storms, snowmelt, rains, and subsequent flooding that occurred throughout South Dakota.
The Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) process allows for these teams to assess the extent and severity of damages to public infrastructure in 58 counties and seven tribal reservations impacted.
“We know there was public property damage in many counties and on tribal reservations,” said Gov. Noem. “This assessment will provide a more detailed and accurate picture of the extent of the damage and where it is located.”
Assessments start today, and are expected to continue throughout the week and include the following counties and tribal reservations:
Aurora, Beadle, Bennett, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Dewey, Douglas, Edmunds, Fall River, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hughes, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jackson, Jerauld, Jones, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, Lyman, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Mellette, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Oglala Lakota, Pennington, Perkins, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Sully, Todd, Tripp, Turner, Union, Walworth, Yankton, Ziebach which also includes the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe.
Eligible applicants include state, county and local governments as well as township and road districts; private non-profit organizations such as fire departments, rural electric cooperatives, libraries and community centers; and tribal governments within the areas being assessed.
Gov. Noem says the information gathered during the PDA process will help determine whether federal assistance should be requested and will form the basis for any disaster declaration.
A preliminary damage assessment of individual property was done May 6-10, 2019.