FEMA: Bavi major disaster declaration hinges on damage assessments

Any request for a presidential major disaster declaration following Super Typhoon Bavi will depend on the CNMI completing damage assessments before Gov. David M. Apatang decides whether to seek additional federal assistance, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinating officer Andrew Grant.

Speaking before the Rotary Club of Saipan meeting last July 14 at Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, Grant said the CNMI is still operating under an emergency declaration for Bavi while officials gather information on the extent of the storm's damage. The findings will determine whether the governor requests a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump.

“Everything is driven by the decision made by CNMI to decide to ask for that federal assistance,” Grant said. “We are currently gathering damages to provide ... understanding of what those damages are, costs, the time efforts, everything that goes into whether or not that assistance decision is made.”

Grant said there is no fixed timetable.

“It can be very fast. It can be sometimes short,” he said, adding that the process ultimately depends on the completion of damage assessments and decisions made in Washington.

Asked by Marianas Press whether a future major disaster declaration would cover only Rota or also Saipan and Tinian, as the Sinlaku declaration eventually did, Grant said several options are available.

“There are ways where all of CNMI can be included for that first declaration, or there can be what's called amendments, as more information around other parts of communities are gathered,” he said.

Grant explained that the Commonwealth is currently recovering under two separate presidential declarations—one for Super Typhoon Sinlaku and another for Bavi—and that each provides different forms of federal assistance.

“We have two different forms of declaration that are in place,” he said. “We have to make sure that when we're talking about Super Typhoon Sinlaku and the assistance there, we're talking about that super typhoon and the assistance provided for that declaration, as opposed to the most recent emergency declaration, which is for Bavi.”

Having been in the CNMI since before Sinlaku made landfall in April, Grant also praised the resilience of island residents after enduring two super typhoons in less than three months.

“I've seen the way that this community has recovered, and it's frankly amazing,” he said. “Recovered with the smile that has endured for everyone who's been impacted.”

Grant said his background as both a small business owner and a former World Trade Center executive gave him a greater appreciation of the logistical hurdles faced by island communities.

“Everything here is that much more difficult,” he said, referring to transporting people, equipment and supplies across the islands. He added that FEMA has experienced many of the same logistical challenges while supporting recovery operations, particularly on Rota.

Grant said FEMA has been supporting the CNMI under both declarations since Sinlaku struck and remains focused on helping local officials recover from Bavi while continuing longer-term recovery efforts already underway.

CNMI Joint Information Center acting public information Ooficer Miguel Dandan also urged residents not to rely on unofficial online weather forecasts circulating on social media.

“If you see a screenshot from Windy circulating, don't believe it right away,” Dandan said. He noted that forecasters review numerous computer models before determining whether a system poses a real threat and assured residents they would receive official warnings if necessary.

Dandan encouraged the public to continue monitoring updates from the National Weather Service Guam, Homeland Security and Emergency Management, the Joint Information Center, and the Governor's Office throughout the remainder of what officials expect to be an active typhoon season.