Joint State/FEMA Disaster Assessments Underway for Idaho County

At the request of Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, federal and state officials are conducting Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDA) in Owyhee County to assess damage to public facilities from flooding caused by heavy rains and snow from a weather pattern which began Dec. 31, 2005. Flood waters rendered three major county roads impassable, damaged others and flooded roadways and property.

According to Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security (IBHS) Director Bill Bishop, a PDA team consisting of representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and IBHS are scheduled to begin assessments in Owyhee County on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2006.

“Joint PDA teams visit and inspect damaged areas, document damages and talk with local officials,” said Bishop. “It’s a partnership effort designed to provide a clear picture of the extent and locations of damage.”

“The PDA doesn’t try to determine the total cost of the recovery,” said FEMA Regional Director John Pennington. “We look at the overall scope of damages to establish if recovery is beyond the capabilities and resources of state and local governments.”