Ledbetter takes officials on tour of Bakersfield for damage assessments

Ozark County Emergency Management Director Curtis Ledbetter recently led two groups of officials through Bakersfield, the first step in the process to, hopefully, open up various program so aid to both residents and local government impacted by the March 14 tornados. 

The officials are from the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Small Business Administration (SBA), and they are jointly tasked with completing “preliminary damage assessments,” in Ozark and 24 other counties following the swath of tornadoes and severe storms. 

The assessments will be used to determine if “individual assistance,” or “public assistance” can be extended. 

“Public assistance sounds like it should be for residents themselves who had their homes hit, but it’s actually assistance that is for public infrastructure - things like roads and bridges, water and sewer systems, schools... It’s the individual assistance that would go to individual people,” Ledbetter clarified.

The first tour was completed on Thursday, March 20, for the individual damage assessment. The group visited various residences that were destroyed, damaged or otherwise affected by the tornado. Ledbetter said Bakersfield Fire Chief Greg Watts was also part of the group and provided valuable first-hand knowledge of the storm and resulting damage, as he arrived minutes after the tornado hit and began rescuing trapped and injured residents. 

“We went to every destroyed location. In total, there were 18 homes completely destroyed, five with major damage, defined as not suitable to live in but still standing and 50 with minor damage. And this isn’t counting barns, outbuildings, camper residences,” Ledbetter said. 

The group met at the Ozark County Courthouse at 1 p.m. and didn’t leave Bakersfield until after 5:30 p.m., he said. 

The tour for public assistance, which would focus on roads, bridges and other public infrastructure and loss, was set for Tuesday. He expected to be joined by Eastern District Commissioner Jim Britt, East District Road and Bridge Foreman Larry Johnston, Fire Chief Greg Watts and potentially a representative from the City of Bakersfield. 

Once the assessment reports are finalized, the information will be prepared and provided to President Donald Trump, suggesting whether a Presidential disaster declaration is needed. Trump will have the final say in signing off in the disaster aid.