Severe Weather Alert for Lakewood Ohio
May 12th, 2010
** Please note the area has not (yet) been declared a Presidential Disaster Area by FEMA**
Lakewood Declares Local Emergency After Storms
LAKEWOOD, Ohio --
The old oak tree in front of Joyce Senney's Lake Avenue colonial came crashing down Friday night as tornadic winds tore a path along her Lakewood street. "I really didn't know what had hit," she said, "till I went outside and the tree had gone through our second story and our first story room, our sunroom."
Senney's insurance company has declared her home a catastrophe. That qualifies her for a larger claim then is typically allowed for storm damage.
Not all residents are as fortunate. That's why Lakewood Mayor Ed Fitzgerald is declaring a State of Emergency. He told Fox 8 News Reporter Lorrie Taylor he wants his constituents to have access to low or no interest loans to make repairs.
Declaring a state of emergency is the first step in FEMA's application process. "We've got over a million dollars worth of damage," he said, "We still have people who can't get into their homes."
More then 130 houses in his community sustained some kind of damage. "Now whether we get FEMA assistance or not, that's another question," he told Taylor. "We don't know that yet but even to be considered for it we have to make this local declaration first and that's what we did."
FEMA aid will also help the city of Lakewood pay for overtime and other costs associated with the storm response and clean up. "We're not counting on it but we have to at least give it a shot," said Fitzgerald.
Senney approves of the Mayor's strategy. She says just because her repairs are covered doesn't mean everyone else is as fortunate. "There's still a lot of power lines down, trees, roof damage, water leakage, so I think the neighborhood needs the help"
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