Terri Sewell tours storm damage
Congresswoman Terri Sewell toured Hale and Greene Counties, where she saw the damage resulting from the devastating storms on January 12. Sewell hosted two disaster relief roundtables with FEMA, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency (EMA), and local Hale, Greene, and Sumter County officials. “As your representative, I have made it my mission to ensure that our communities get the resources they need to rebuild better and stronger than before,” said Rep. Sewell. “To that end, strengthening our lines of communication and forging partnerships between every level of government are paramount. That’s why I spent the day surveying the damage and hosting disaster relief roundtables here in Hale and Greene Counties.” “Thanks to our tireless advocacy, additional federal assistance has been granted and is on its way to those who need it,” said Sewell. “To those affected, know that you are not alone. So long as there is a need, our federal, state, and local officials will continue to band together to offer relief.” Sewell brought together representatives from FEMA, Alabama EMA Director Jeff Smitherman, and local officials for a Hale County Disaster Relief Roundtable at Akron City Hall on Tuesday to discuss the latest in the recovery process. Sewell then traveled to Greene County, where she was joined by State Representative Curtis Travis and Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson for a driving tour of the storm damage. Sewell then hosted a Disaster Relief Roundtable at Eutaw City Hall. There she heard from local officials from Greene and Sumter Counties, including Sumter County Commission Chairman Marcus Campbell and Sumter County EMA Director Margaret Gulley. Sewell and officials then held a press conference with representatives from both Greene and Sumter County EMAs and local stakeholders. There has been an ongoing federal, state, and local partnership to recover and rebuild in areas devastated by the January 12 storms. “For the next 30 days, every county that was a part of the disaster declaration will get 100 percent federal assistance for public infrastructure,” Sewell explained. “If the town halls were destroyed or the post office was destroyed. The public road has debris on it.” “We have a promise that has been somewhat kept from our federal officer that if any of our elected officials call with clusters of people who need to be registered for FEMA that they will send their mobile unit to do that,” Sewell said. On January 26, Sewell led the Alabama Congressional Delegation in a letter urging President Joe Biden to increase the federal cost share for the FEMA Public Assistance program for debris removal and emergency protective measures to 100%. President Biden granted this request on Thursday, February 9. FEMA’s Public Assistance Program provides supplemental grants to state, tribal, territorial, and local governments and certain private non-profits so communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies. Sewell is in her seventh term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. Sewell is a native of Selma. Before her election to Congress, she was an attorney for the City of Birmingham. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
