Blackburn lauds volunteers, promises FEMA oversight after floods

GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. (WJHL) — U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) was in Northeast Tennessee surveying damage left by Hurricane Helene on Friday.

Blackburn toured damage in parts of Northeast Tennessee like Washington and Greene counties. Blackburn went to the remains of the Highway 107 Kinser Bridge and examined the amount of debris in the area.

News Channel 11 spoke with Blackburn in Greene County during a meeting with local leaders like County Mayor Kevin Morrison and EMA Director Heather Sipe.

“We are working on flood damage and of course, the response here with the EMA with the mayor, with your local elected officials has really been exemplary,” Blackburn said. “And our team has worked really closely with them. We’re standing up the multi-agency resource centers. We are doing pop-up office hours, and Michael and Kim in our office are working with people to be sure that they recover those Social Security and VA and income tax documents.”

Blackburn told News Channel 11 it is critical that people and businesses receive the care and attention required after the natural disaster.

“What we want to do is make certain that FEMA stays on the ground, that individuals are able to apply for all the resources that are available to them, and that FEMA processes these claims in a timely manner, whether it is something for the county, for businesses, or for individuals,” she said.

Blackburn’s office has also created a web page to direct flood-impacted Tennesseans to resources like FEMA individual assistance and Multi-Agency Resource Centers.

The senator also praised the volunteer spirit of Tennessee during her visit.

“Tennessee has the best volunteers and the best communities, and people have stepped up,” she said. “I think it is just so inspiring how they’ve come forward with water and food and furniture and clothing, and the communities are partnering up to help everybody in Upper East Tennessee and help them rebuild. We have so many families that have really lost everything.”

Blackburn stated that part of the process going forward will be to ensure federal agencies like FEMA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fulfill their obligations in the months to come.

“What we will do is just continue,” Blackburn said. “It’s mostly oversight. There will be some funding provisions and we want to make certain that the agencies are funded adequately so that they respond appropriately to the needs that are there in the communities. And then looking at the oversight for how FEMA and the Small Business Administration and DOT, those agencies that respond in times of disaster to make certain that they do that in the proper manner.”

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