Joshua Haiar, South Dakota Searchlight
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved 283 applications totaling $3.5 million in assistance for Union County residents, which includes the McCook Lake area devastated by a record flood on June 23.
The county’s aid makes it the largest recipient in the state following late June’s severe storms across southeastern South Dakota. As of Sept. 5, FEMA had approved 1,022 applications worth more than $6 million in aid to South Dakotans in response. More funds could still be distributed; the application period doesn’t close until mid-October.
McCook Lake homeowner Linda Cutsinger had to gut her entire home due to the flood, leaving only a frame. She had no flood insurance and said the FEMA aid she received is less than the $42,500 cap for home repairs, which would not cover the repairs even if she received the full amount.
“You never get as much as you need,” Cutsinger said. “You’re still going to be in the hole, without a doubt. I’m definitely going to go with an appeal.”
Cutsinger’s neighbor across the street, Morgan Speichinger, suffered total destruction of her home. She had no flood insurance either. Her family received $42,500 for home repairs, $2,000 for personal belongings and $750 to relocate an electrical panel and water heater to a safer location.
“The process, once they got here, was pretty quick,” she said. The Speichingers have been living with relatives, but are looking at temporarily renting until they figure out what’s next – which she said FEMA will help cover for the first 18 months.
Speichinger said her family also qualified for two loans offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience: a 30-year loan of $25,000 at 2.688% without the requirement to get flood insurance, or $73,000 if they obtain additional hazard insurance. No payments have to be made on either for the first year. The family has not yet determined their best path forward.
Speichinger and Cutsinger both said they did not have flood insurance because they’re not in an area designated by FEMA as requiring it.
Claudia Anderson is a spokesperson with the SBA. She said the administration has approved over $2.5 million in disaster loans for South Dakota residents and businesses. The application deadline for SBA disaster loans is Oct. 15.
“Don’t self-determine whether or not you’re eligible,” Anderson said. “It’s really important for everyone to come in and apply. We understand you were just in a disaster; we’re not going to hold a bad credit score against you, or something like that.”
Tony Mayne is a spokesperson with FEMA Region 8, which includes South Dakota. He said individuals impacted by late June’s severe storms in Davison, Lincoln, Turner and Union counties can still register by calling 800-621-3362, visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, using the FEMA app, or visiting a Disaster Recovery Center.
Mayne emphasized that speaking with FEMA representatives during a visit did not automatically register individuals for assistance.
“Those people still have had to register with FEMA to be eligible for disaster-related assistance,” Mayne said.
Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in 25 counties, on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities.
Meanwhile, South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks announced Tuesday the reopening of McCook Lake. The lake will have a no-wake zone across the entire waterbody.
“There is still a significant amount of debris in the lake itself,” said Sam Schelhaas, law enforcement chief. “We want to open the water with a no-wake zone, which will allow individuals to continue clean up and dock retrieval from this event.”