FEMA denies Jefferson County's request for assistance after 2021 Fultondale tornado

THE PANDEMIC. MORE THAN A YEAR AFTER A TORNADO RIPPED THROUGH FULTONDALE, MYAN FOLKS THERE ARE STILL TRYING TO REBUILD. BRITTANY: THE STORM HIT IN JANUARY 2021, ITS 150 MILEN A HOUR WIND DESTROYED 86 HOMES AND MAGEDAD 45 ME.OR >> I DON’T KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING TO BE STAYING OR WHERE TO GO FROM HERE. BRITTANY: ONE REASON PEOPLE ARE STILL CLEANING UP IS BAUECSE FEMA DENIED JEFFERSON COUNTY’S REQUEST R FOHE.LP >> IF THE DAMAGES AND COST ESTIMATES THAT WE HAVE GATHERED ARE VALIDATED BY FEMA AND IT MEETS THE THRESHOLD, WCHHI IS $7.5 MILLION. IT BRITTANY: FEMA SAYS THE COST TO HELP THOSE UNINSURED WOULD BE CLOSE TO $2 MILLION. DEVASTATING NEWS FOR MANY IN RUSK MOBILE HOME PARK. >> MT OSOF THE PEOPLE T HEREOU WEREN’T, I COULDN’T BE INSURED BRITTANY: BECAUSE E THTORNADO DIDN’T DO ENOUGH DAMAGE FEMA DECLINED TO HELP. AS IT TURNS OUT, BEINGUR TNED DOWN BY THE GOVERNMENT IS NOTHING NEW. FROM 2018 TO 2021, FEMA TURNED DOWN ABOUT 40% OF REQUESTS FMRO STATES FOR AID. FEMA SAYS IT WOULD HAVE COST NORTH OF $107 MILLION TO FUND ALL OF THE DENIED REQUESTS. FURTHERMORE, ALABAMA WAS DENIED THE MOST DURING ATTH THREE-YEAR PERIOD. THAT INCLUDES A HURRICANINE

More than a year after a deadly EF-3 tornado ripped through Fultondale in January 2021, many residents are still trying to rebuild from the widespread damage. With winds over 150 miles per hour, the tornado destroyed 86 homes and damaged another 45.One of the reasons residents are still cleaning up is because the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Jefferson County's request for help, which would have cost close to $2 million in order to take care of the uninsured residents. The agency declined the request because it said the tornado did not do enough damage. For FEMA to provide assistance, the damages and cost estimates from a weather event have to be validated by the agency and total more than $7.5 million.From 2018 to 2021, FEMA turned down almost 40% of requests from states seeking aid. The agency said it would have cost more than $107 million to fund all of the denied requests.During that three-year period, Alabama was denied the most. The requests included a hurricane in 2018, winter storms in 2019 and several tornadoes in 2021.

FULTONDALE, Ala. —

One of the reasons residents are still cleaning up is because the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Jefferson County's request for help, which would have cost close to $2 million in order to take care of the uninsured residents.

The agency declined the request because it said the tornado did not do enough damage. For FEMA to provide assistance, the damages and cost estimates from a weather event have to be validated by the agency and total more than $7.5 million.

From 2018 to 2021, FEMA turned down almost 40% of requests from states seeking aid. The agency said it would have cost more than $107 million to fund all of the denied requests.

During that three-year period, Alabama was denied the most. The requests included a hurricane in 2018, winter storms in 2019 and several tornadoes in 2021.