SHERWOOD TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Federal and state officials have now seen for themselves the deadly path of destruction taken by the Union City tornado.
On Tuesday, men and women from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division for Michigan State Police (MSP/EMHSD) walked through the still ongoing cleanup operation in a neighborhood on the northern shore of Union Lake.
Three people who lived in this area lost their lives as a result of the tornado: Bill Akers, 63, Keri Johnson, 54, and Penni Guthrie, 65.
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"We're looking to see how these storms affected the community and affected the people," FEMA spokesperson Nicole Wilson said. "Our teams have been in close communication with local officials, with state officials, to understand what these communities looked like before the damage and what they look like now."
Wilson says the survey of the wind-wrecked area, referred to as a Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA), is done to determine the extent, severity and impact of the damage, as well as the types of federal assistance that may be needed.
On Tuesday, PDAs were conducted in tornado-affected areas in Branch, Cass and St. Joseph Counties.
The information from these sites may then be used by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to request a federal disaster declaration.
According to FEMA, all emergency and major disaster declarations are made solely at the discretion of the President of the United States.
"What we're doing today is working with local and state officials... to get that information — the data — over to the governor so she can determine if she will make an official request for a disaster declaration," Wilson said. "Again, the final decision lies with with our president."
Wilson also noted FEMA can only provide assistance to people for disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.
"It's very important to file a claim with your provider, because FEMA will not and cannot, by law, cover the same thing that your insurance covers," she said.
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In recent years, petitions for federal help in Michigan have seen different outcomes. FEMA denied a request for relief in the aftermath of the Portage tornado, but recently approved a request for additional aid related to last year's ice storm in Northern Michigan.
"The goal is always to help," said Lauren Thompson, Public Information and Preparedness Section Manager for MSP/EMHSD. "This is part of the process, to get homeowners potential help."
