FEMA To Survey Storm Damage

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Officials with the Federal Emergency

Management Agency will be in North Dakota this week evaluating

damage from the ice storm that hit the state late last month.

Gov. John Hoeven earlier declared a statewide winter storm

disaster and asked FEMA teams to assess the financial impact of the

storm, which downed thousands of power lines, damaged more than

1,800 power poles and at one point left about 6,200 people without

power.

The FEMA visit is the first step toward a presidential disaster

declaration that would help communities, tribes and rural electric

cooperatives recover costs associated with the storm.

Emergency Services Department spokeswoman Cecily Fong says

damage will easily surpass the $1 million threshold for federal

disaster eligibility.

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