Iowa Sens. Ernst, Grassley tour Greenfield damage

GREENFIELD — Both Iowa Republican Senators Joni Ernst and Charles Grassley toured Greenfield Friday morning, days after tornadoes Tuesday destroyed a portion of the town, county and caused four deaths in the town of about 2,000.

And the two were in Greenfield hours after the town’s tornado warning sirens were activated at about 4 a.m. as another storm with strong winds passed through Adair County.

Ernst, who is from Red Oak in Montgomery County which also had tornado damage Tuesday, said efforts are being made for a presidential declaration for federal government assistance for recovery.

“Lots of prayers go to the families and those who lost their lives. The devastation is overwhelming. We saw it in Minden a few weeks ago; prayers for all of Southwest Iowa. There are great volunteers and Iowans are pulling together.”

On April 26, a tornado destroyed the even smaller town of Minden in northern Pottawattamie County.

Ernst said representatives of Iowa Emergency Management are in Greenfield.

“They will be on that presidential declaration and see FEMA move ahead in a sustained state working with local government. There appears to be enough damage that should warrant the declaration,” she said.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds requested Thursday an expedited Presidential Disaster Declaration for Iowa counties where significant damage was sustained from severe storms and widespread flooding that occurred on Tuesday.

The declaration was approved Friday afternoon.

The letter requests activation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster loans for the following four (4) counties: Adair, Polk, Story, and Montgomery. In addition, the letter requests the activation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Public Assistance Program for Adair County. Additional counties may be added once the request is approved.

Funding under the FEMA Individual Assistance Program provides disaster-affected homeowners, renters, and businesses access to programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, medical expenses, and legal services.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan Program provides homeowners, renters, businesses, and most nonprofit organizations in the affected counties whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster, the ability to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the SBA.

The FEMA’s Public Assistance program provides funds that can be used to rebuild damaged infrastructure that may include roads, bridges, culverts and other public facilities, or to cover costs of emergency work during, and debris removal after, severe weather.

“People are already in cleanup phase, the devastation, shock hasn’t set in yet. We will see that in coming days and weeks to come,” Ernst said.

Senator Grassley said touring the damage reminded him of his past experiences with tornadoes.

“I’ve seen several tornadoes go through Iowa various times. This one reminds me of the tornado in Parkersburg in 2008. It also hit New Hartford and lives were lost. Lives were lost here. We grieve for those families and for those injured.”

Grassley said one of his priorities is the Adair County Health System, the hospital on Greenfield’s east side that sustained enough damage to force it to be closed for an indefinite amount of time.

“I’ve worked in rural health care legislation when a county loses a hospital. Hopefully it will make a recovery,” he said. “When you go through devastation, it’s hard to believe this happened in a couple minutes or less. You can see it and all the hurt that goes with it.”

Grassley said he was impressed with the resilience with recovery. “Just after a few days you already see it. It will take a long time to get back. I drive through Parkersburg regularly and there is recovery. If you could put big trees up you’d never know a tornado went through.”

Grassley said he is confident all six of Iowa’s federal representatives will be in full support of the declaration.

“All six of us will sign a letter of support. Hopefully it will be faster than for Pottawattamie County,” he said.

Ernst said the early morning weather was another reminder of how people will have to cope.

“There is shock and trauma living it again every time sirens goes off. People will wonder if their house will be next.”

Rep. Zach Nunn whose district includes Adair County had his staff in Greenfield Friday. He spoke on WHO Radio in Des Moines earlier Friday saying his staff was offering assistance with lost federal records like passports. His Creston office is at 208 W. Taylor St., phone: (641) 220-9093.

Adair County Supervisor Jerry Walker said the help has been “unbelievable” soon after the tornado passed.

“The amount of people who have volunteered as it is county wide as there are farmsteads wiped out. There are people who lost everything,” he said.

Adair County Secondary road crews are still clearing debris from the roads and repairing roads where damaged. Walker said sites are being prepared for debris but only from Greenfield properties: construction debris goes to the landfill; tree debris goes to the Adair County Fairgrounds in Greenfield; steel and appliances can be left at Adair County Secondary Roads at South First Street in Greenfield, across from 21st Century Co-op.

“We’ve got a long road ahead of us,” Walker said.

Caleb Nelson, Adair County Free Press contributed to this story