Locals, state, feds moving forward on hurricane assistance -- By Russ Lay

While the federal government has already approved individual help for residents to repair or replace homes lost in Hurricane Matthew in 17 counties in the state, Bertie is the only northeastern N.C. county approved so far.

Dare County has filed the required information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in the hopes that they will soon expand the individual assistance declaration.

“While we cannot say for sure whether FEMA will designate Dare County as eligible for individual assistance, we are confident the damage information we submitted will result in such a designation,” said county manager Bobby Outten.

The initial information submitted to the federal agency included pictures and documentation, and estimated some 4,000 properties sustained $40 million in damage in Dare County.

“These numbers will likely increase as damage assessment teams continue to work in the field,” according to a county statement Thursday.

After Hurricane Irene in August 2011, it took just over four days from the time the storm moved out for most counties in the northeast and along the Outer Banks to be included in the FEMA individual assistance declaration.

Outten also said that larger scale FEMA disaster designations were already in place, allowing Dare to tap federal funds for damage to public infrastructure such as roads, water mains and even beach sand placed under nourishment projects.

To read the Full Story Click Here