North Mississippi — With the holiday over and the rain cleared out, storm victims in North Mississippi got outside Monday to think about the next step in cleanup.
WREG visited Benton and Tippah Counties asking about insurance and how victims are managing the costs of the storm.
Monday, no agents at an insurance company in Ashland returned WREG’s calls. A staff member said they spent the day with customers, checking out damage.
WREG also confirmed late Monday afternoon that FEMA was on the ground in the hardest hit counties.
“They would do their assessment, and that assessment would be used to determine if we’re entitled to national federal assistance,” said Benton County Emergency Management Director Jimmy Gresham.
Gresham said that if FEMA determines the damage warrants a national disaster declaration, individual storm victims could get federal funds.
He said that without federal dollars, it comes down to insurance money, but he said a large percentage of those affected are uninsured.
In Tippah County, the Three Forks Volunteer Fire Department does have insurance.
The tornado wiped out the department and just about all of its gear. Fire Chief Joey Jackson said he thinks insurance will only cover part of the bill.
“No, it won’t cover it, may cover just the building part,” he told WREG.
The department is welcoming donations to help with the costs. People who wish to donate can do so at Peoples Bank in Walnut, Mississippi.
WREG reached out to MEMA and FEMA for an update Monday afternoon, but we have not heard back just yet.
