The mayor of St. Louis, Missouri Cara Spencer, said FEMA has not been on the ground in the city since severe thunderstorms and a tornado last week.
A tornado ripped through St. Louis on Friday killing 5 people, injuring 38 others and causing over $1 billion in damages. Officials expect those numbers to grow as recovery efforts continue.
Spencer told MSNBC on Monday that they are yet to receive assistance from FEMA since the tragedy.
“FEMA has not been on the ground. We do not have confirmed assistance from FEMA at this point,” she said in a clip highlighted by Mediaite.
The mayor praised local organizations for their work so far but said they need more assistance.
“What we need right now is federal assistance,” she said. “This is where FEMA and the federal government has got to come in and help communities. Our city cannot shoulder this alone. The state of Missouri cannot shoulder this alone.”
“We need partners at the national level, at the federal level, to step up and help,” Spencer continued. “We need your help. We need the help of the broader community. We have set up a fund to help bring in some funding right off the bat, just to bridge that gap, but we need federal assistance.”
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) on Monday formally requested that Donald Trump issue an Emergency Declaration for the state after the disaster on Friday.
However, it is unclear if the administration will approve the request. Trump has repeatedly called for getting rid of FEMA and transition disaster recovery responsibilities to states.
FEMA has already denied multiple requests for disaster assistance from several states including West Virginia, North Carolina, and Arkansas. Arkansas’ disaster declaration request was later approved amid pressure from state leaders and Arkansas Republican lawmakers in Washington DC.
[Featured Image: Damage to properties in St Louis after tornado ripped through the city on Friday. (Photo: Lara Hamdan via St. Louis Public Radio)]
