Legislation directing tens of millions of dollars to aid in Winter Storm Fern recovery efforts might not pass in the state’s House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed a bill that would allocate $20 million to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency for ongoing work being done to help residents affected by the historic ice storm. The measure, while receiving unanimous support in its originating chamber, may not clear a legislative hurdle on the other side of the capitol.
According to Rep. Lee Yancey, R-Brandon, there is a growing sentiment among some of his colleagues that it would be more prudent for lawmakers to give disaster relief funds to individual cities and counties, rather than the state agency.
“I think there are a number of House members who have not been satisfied with MEMA’s response to the storm, whether that’s fair or unfair, and they would rather give the money directly to cities and counties,” Yancey said on Mornings with Richard Cross.
Yancey did delve into specific complaints his colleagues have with MEMA’s storm response, but SuperTalk Mississippi News has heard from area residents in north Mississippi and the Delta who were displeased with the state’s response to the storm. Of the complaints, residents said they felt the response was too delayed, that officials were not properly prepared for the storm, and that it took too long to get supplies to areas of greatest need.
“The important thing is to have everything ready and to be able to basically press a button as soon as the disaster hits,” Yancey said. “You know it’s coming. You can do some things before the disaster hits — having the right equipment and the right bottled water and all the supplies that are needed staged in certain areas, so that when something does happen, you can immediately put your plan into action.
“We know when there are storms like these, whether they’re hurricanes or ice storms, you’re going to have trees down on power lines. You’re always going to need cutting crews to clear the roads. You’re always going to need the power restored.”
At the height of Winter Storm Fern’s impact in Mississippi, around 180,000 power outages were reported, multiple major roadways were shut down, and warming shelters were rapidly filling with people who had no other access to heat. As things stand, the storm has claimed 28 lives in Mississippi.
The day before the storm began on Jan. 23, Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency that allowed state resources to mobilize in preparation. Through MEMA, the state deployed generators, pallets of water, roof tarps, blankets, pillows, and cots to counties that requested them before the storm. Transportation crews also pre-treated major roads, while public safety leaders urged Mississippians to hunker down and avoid traveling during inclement conditions.
“I think they’re doing the best they can. I think they learn every time there is a storm. There’s always something to learn from going through a crisis. You learn from your mistakes,” Yancey said of MEMA’s response. “I think the key thing we could take away from this is: How would we do it differently? What did we do right? What did we not get so right? What should we have done better? I think there will be a lot of people who study this for a long time, and we’re going to continue to try to get it right.”
When reached out for comment, MEMA officials elected not to respond to the complaints of disgruntled lawmakers. As for storm relief funding, the House may not take up the Senate’s bill, but Yancey assured that he and his colleagues are committed to helping victims of the weather event.