FEMA says aid is on the way to flood zone

Mayor Les Ladewig had no doubt when the governor and the man who runs FEMA asked if they would be welcome at a shelter that still houses some 30 people.

"These people are dying to hear from somebody, because every one of them in there thinks they're a forgotten bunch. They don't think anybody cares about them. They're wondering how they're going to survive, wondering how they're going to get money," he told Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator R. David Paulison on Friday.

Ladewig said about half of Rushford's 760 homes were damaged, including 248 that were destroyed and 91 more with serious damage.

Residents are still being told not to drink the water after E. coli bacteria was found. Fillmore County officials said the Rushford water system was being flushed, but was still not safe for domestic use. They said running water or flushing toilets in private homes could introduce contaminants into the home's plumbing.

More than 100 people listened to Pawlenty, Paulison and Sen. Norm Coleman at a former automotive electronics factory that has been converted into a shelter and hub for distributing supplies.

Pawlenty's frequent visits to this part of the state since the flooding began on Sunday appeared to have paid off -- residents gave him a strong round of applause before he said a word.

"We will do everything that needs to be done to make sure this community gets rebuilt," he told them.

Paulison said FEMA recovery centers would be set up in Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties, which received presidential disaster declarations on Thursday. Paulison said the centers would be set up over the weekend and should be running by early next week.

He also said up to $28,200 in financial help could be available, although that depends on the income of the person who needs help.

FEMA officials have stressed that the aid isn't intended to cover every expense.

Terry Hubbard said it won't come close. He asked Paulison and Pawlenty what he should do if he is thinking about walking away from his house.

"$28,000 ain't going to cover a lot of damage on your house," he said to Pawlenty. "And a lot of people still owe $80,000 on their homes, or better. I'm one of them."

Pawlenty told him the money would be there to rebuild.

"You can get the FEMA help and you can get the additional state help. What you do beyond that is your choice," he said.

Hubbard said later that he had been barred from returning to his home for four days after the flood, and by then it had serious mold problems.

"$28,000 is not even going to cover my demolition. I'll tear everything out. I may offer it back to the bank," he said.

The disaster declaration did not include Olmsted, Steele or Wabasha counties, which also saw some flood damage. Pawlenty's office said FEMA would submit damage estimates on Friday for those three as well.

State Sen. Ann Lynch, DFL-Rochester, said in a letter to Pawlenty that it was "very disappointing" that Wabasha and Olmsted counties weren't included in the initial declaration. She urged the governor to continue lobbying to expand it.

"We're going to continue to do damage assessments, and if they reach a certain threshold, then we'll declare those also," Paulison said.

FEMA said individuals and business owners who sustained losses in Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties can begin applying for assistance on Friday by registering online at http://www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Sunday.