Louisiana donates hundreds of travel trailers to shelter Ky flood survivors

FRANKFORT, Ky (WSAZ) — Up to 300 travel trailers originally acquired to aid Hurricane Ida survivors will now be used to shelter Eastern Kentucky flood survivors.

Gov. Andy Beshear and Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the agreement Wednesday.

Starting this week, the commonwealth is moving the first trailers donated from Louisiana to Letcher and Floyd counties.

Additional travel trailers will be moved in phases to various community sites that are out of flood zones themselves, but near flood-impacted areas.

The travel trailers are part of the Commonwealth Sheltering Program, and flood survivors can register for a trailer by visiting the Governor’s flood resources website.

“In response to these devastating floods, we have seen amazing helpers – Kentuckians helping one another and our fellow Americans from all over the country donating to help our families. Now we are seeing Gov. Edwards and the state of Louisiana helping our people with critical shelter,” Gov. Beshear said. “Unfortunately, folks in Louisiana know the pain and devastation of natural disasters all too well. But despite all they’ve been through themselves, this state is still choosing to pay it forward. Now more families in Kentucky will have quicker access to intermediate housing.”

“We understand the importance of helping people in the aftermath of a natural disaster, including helping them find shelter as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives,” Gov. Edwards said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Kentucky to help its residents in Eastern Kentucky by providing interim shelter as they recover and rebuild from the devastating floods that swept through their region in July.”

Louisiana originally purchased the travel trailers; however, they are seeking cost reimbursement from Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). While the travel trailers are provided at no cost to the commonwealth, the state will use funds from the recently passed Eastern Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies (EKSAFE) relief package to transport and prepare the travel trailers for families in Eastern Kentucky.

The nearly $212.7 million of the EKSAFE fund, which was designed to be similar to the relief aid for Western Kentucky communities devastated by tornadoes, will also be spent to provide crucial help to Eastern Kentucky communities. To read more about the bill’s details, click here, or to read the bill, click here.

In addition to the travel trailers from Louisiana, the Commonwealth Sheltering Program has moved 119 travel trailers that housed Western Kentucky tornado survivors to Eastern Kentucky. Nearly 350 flooding survivors are also sheltered at the Kentucky State Parks in the region.

The commonwealth lost at least 39 Kentuckians, and thousands of families lost their homes and nearly all their possessions due to the flooding. To learn more about the recovery efforts, visit the Governor’s disaster relief resources website, and click here to donate to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.

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