State disaster team assessing storm damage in El Paso County

Federal and state disaster assessment teams have finished a process in El Paso County that could result in a disaster declaration and financial assistance after storms during the last week of July.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management began a two-day assessment effort Tuesday after a two-hour meeting at the county’s Office of Emergency Management.

Teams spent Tuesday and Wednesday inspecting damaged infrastructure. (PHOTOS)

The state said the process covers infrastructure damage to local governments and certain nonprofit organizations but not assistance to individual storm victims.

Two weeks ago, county storm victims quickly exhausted $500,000 donated by the El Pomar Foundation.

Based on the results of its assessment, the state could apply for FEMA aid.

Normally, FEMA provides assistance to local governments only if a presidential disaster has been declared, and county spokesman Dave Rose said last week that uninsured losses in the county don’t meet the standard to qualify for a disaster declaration.

However, FEMA and the state confirmed that assistance is possible if the state combines all disaster damage throughout the state into one request and distributes the aid to all affected municipalities.

The state had four other teams assessing damage fom disasters across the state.

Under disaster guidelines, FEMA provides grants that cover 75 percent of damage recovery costs. Recipients must cover the remaining 25 percent to qualify for the FEMA grants.

On Tuesday, the teams inspected areas of Green Mountain Falls, Colorado Springs and El Paso County.

The team toured Manitou Springs on Wednesday.

“We have around $1.5 million in damage so far and we’re still evaluating,” said Mayor Ken Jaray. “We really hope FEMA can help us because the amount is too much for a town with a small budget.”

Jaray said most of the damage was caused by flooding and erosion in parks, on streets and around bridges. The sinkhole under repair on Manitou Avenue is a state project and is not the city’s responsibility.

El Paso County reported damage in 50 locations, most of it minor, with the worst being a washed-out section of Old Pueblo Road that will take another month to reopen.

The extent of the damage in other affected municipalities was unavailable Tuesday.

Authorities said that although some areas received hail during the week in question, most of the damage was caused by flooding.

FEMA did not indicate when it would decide on a disaster declaration for Colorado. All damage reports from the county are due Friday.