Inadequate Federal Response to Historic Winter Storms in Mississippi and Tennessee Leave Thousands Needing Help
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Historic winter storms have devastated Mississippi and Tennessee, leaving hundreds of thousands without power at the storm’s peak, at least 15 dead, and vulnerable residents struggling to survive in freezing conditions.
Despite these conditions, President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have approved only emergency declarations—not the major disaster declarations that free up significantly more help—and Governors Bill Lee (TN) and Tate Reeves (MS) seem to have failed to publicly request additional assistance. As a result, federal support is limited to just $5 million per state and excludes critical permanent recovery work, leaving communities without the resources necessary to rebuild.
“Governors Lee and Reeves should explain to their constituents why they’ve requested only emergency declarations when the historic nature of this disaster seems to clearly warrant major disaster declarations. Hundreds of thousands have lost power in freezing temperatures, and students at the University of Mississippi are stuck on a shut down campus with limited access to food,” said Sabotaging Our Safety Advisory Council Member Ashley Shelton. “FEMA should be proactively surging resources to these states and working with governors to secure the appropriate level of disaster aid — not passively accepting requests that fall short of what's needed.”
Quick Facts: A Historic Freeze
Nearly 180,000 customers lost power at the peak of the storm in Mississippi
Over 135,000 residents still without power in middle Tennessee days after the storm
Nashville Electric Service's largest single outage in history — unprecedented in the utility's operations
Worst ice storm in Mississippi since 1994 according to Governor Tate Reeves — over a 30-year record
Life-threatening conditions: A Nashville woman forced to sit in her car to power her oxygen tank due to lack of electricity
Campus chaos: Ole Miss students dealing with leaking pipes and struggling to access food during the crisis
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