Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed the state's Division of Emergency Management to request federal assistance in assessing storm damage in Bexar County following severe storms in August, according to an announcement from the governor's office. The preliminary damage assessments will determine whether the state qualifies for federal disaster assistance.
State and local officials will work with the U.S. Small Business Administration to conduct the assessments. Texans who sustained damage to homes or businesses are being encouraged to report the damage through the state's Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) online survey at damage.tdem.texas.gov.
The damage reports help state and local officials assess the scale of the disaster and determine what resources may be needed for affected areas. The information also helps identify whether the state meets federal requirements for different forms of disaster assistance.