State says tornado destruction currently under-documented
(Guadalupe County) – Guadalupe County is on the hunt for any property damage, big or small, that occurred during last month’s storm which produced a series of threats including a tornado.
In proposing an extension of the disaster proclamation submitted by the county, Patrick Pinder, the county’s emergency management coordinator and fire marshal says the reporting of local damages to the state is nowhere close to where they need to be in order to qualify for federal funds.
“Looking at the iSTAT (Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool) report this morning before coming into court, there has only been five people who reported on that so we are under reported at this point so if you have damage as little as missing shingles, hail damage, tree damage, fence damage, if it’s a property damage, please report it. So, if we can get that reported, we can potentially get assistance if the state meets that threshold. So, the county’s threshold is $511,000. The state’s threshold is in the high millions so I’m asking the community to report their damage to either my office or out to that ISAT website,” said Pinder.
Pinder says the damage doesn’t have to be directly from the tornado itself but of other things that also rolled in with that storm such as hail and straight-line winds.
Pinder says by submitting reports to the Texas Division of Emergency Management via its disaster assessment website, it will help support those in the county who today have nothing left.
“As of right now, we have about 69 people who have reported damage to our office. In the Kingsbury area, we have seven homes that were destroyed. Out of those seven homes that were destroyed, right now four of those homeowners have no insurance so those are a total loss. The estimated value of each home is probably anywhere from about $150,000 up to about $200,000. Some are older mobile homes so the values on those could be a little lower. However, we need those people to report that damage so if the state meets its threshold and then the federal government steps in, we can get that assistance. Without those folks reporting the damage, we cannot get assistance in the county,” said Pinder.
Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher says he too encourages residents to submit the damage information they have. He says officials are also available to help anyway they can.
“And some of those places, it looks like a bomb went off. These people are left with a tremendous amount of work on cleanup that is scattered across miles and miles and acres of rural Guadalupe County and it has just been tragic for some of those families that don’t have anything left. It’s just gone now. Every possession belonging that they had is just scattered. They can’t even find half of it so as Mr. Pinder said it is very very important and imperative to try to report that information, get it to us. If you are unable to log onto that iSTAT through TDEM Texas Division of Emergency Management, don’t have a computer, please contact his office, our office – we will find a way. We will help you. We will come to you. We will drive out there with a device. We will get you set up, take pictures for you, do anything we have to so if anybody needs anything in the community, we have folks here in the county who are ready to go,” said Kutscher.
Meanwhile, cleanup efforts for those residents who lost their homes in the Kingsbury area continue. Pinder says volunteers are also desperately needed.
“So if there is anybody out there who would like to volunteer, offer assistance, contact our office, let me know what kind of assistance you can offer if that’s just your time, if you have a place for rent, anything like that – we can put you into contact with folks in immediate need at this time,” said Pinder.
On Monday, March 21, Guadalupe County suffered widespread and severe damage due to the storm which passed through the county. Damages reported to local offices included heavy rains, high winds, hail, and tornado damage. Those wishing to submit their information to the Texas Division of Emergency Management are asked to visit https://damage.tdem.texas.gov/ . They may also contact the Guadalupe County Emergency Management Office at emc@co.guadalupe.tx.us.
The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court last week agreed to extend the disaster declaration through Tuesday, April 29 in hopes of collecting additional damage reports.