Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Requests Federal Disaster Declaration

2009 Spring Floods One of Worst Seasons on Record

May 25, 2009, Fairbanks, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has sent a letter to the federal government officially requesting a federal disaster declaration for the spring floods of 2009. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent preliminary damage assessment teams into the field last week and they are working their way down the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers village by village.

“The data coming in from the FEMA teams validates the existing state data, and I believe that we have met the threshold for a federal disaster declaration,” Governor Palin said. “Hundreds of Alaskans have been displaced and many have had their homes completely destroyed. The next step in a state's rebuilding process after a natural disaster is to request our federal government's assistance.”

Almost 300 buildings and miles of road have been damaged by the spring floods, and hundreds of people are without homes. Food and water are being provided to many people as they work to rebuild critical infrastructure in their communities.

Multiple state agencies are working together to help recovery efforts move as quickly and as smoothly as possible. The Department of Environmental Conservation is testing water and the Department of Health and Social Services is giving tetanus shots to workers to help keep people safe. The Department of Transportation and Public Facilities is rebuilding roads and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is providing all of the logistical support to provide potable water, food, and lines of communication.

“I am very proud of the service that many agencies are providing to the residents of our great state right now,” said Palin. “Through hard work and determination we can rebuild and make our communities better.”

Source: Alaska Governor Palin