Hancock County included in disaster proclamation

Hancock County is one of four counties included in a disaster proclamation issued by Governor Kim Reynolds last week in response to severe weather on July 5.

 Reynolds issued a disaster proclamationfor Emmet, Hancock, O'Brien, and Winnebago counties 

On Tuesday, July 5, a derecho with wind gusts clocked at 60-70 miles per hour, swept through parts of northern Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois.

“The Northwest portion of the County took the hardest hit, but most of the area had some damage,” according to Andy Buffington, Hancock County Emergency Management Coordinator.

The storm damaged trees, power lines, some buildings and reports of crop damage.

The governor's proclamation allows state resources to be utilized to respond to, and recover from, the effects of this severe weather. The proclamation activates the Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program for qualifying residents, along with the Disaster Case Management Program, for the four counties.

The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program provides grants of up to $5,000 for households with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of three. 

The grant application and instructions are available on the Iowa Department of Human Services website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs.

Potential applicants have 45 days from the date of the proclamation to submit a claim.

For information on the Disaster Case Management Program, visit www.iowacommunityaction.org.