By Whitney Donohue

Moapa Valley Progress

Article reprinted from Valley Herald and Lake Mead Monitor: August 27, 1981

Dan Fitzpatrick, disaster spokesperson for Clark County, on Tuesday stated the damages from the recent flood disaster for the private sector were estimated at 5.5 to 6 million dollars. The public sector damages were finalized at 1.2 million. He stated he was with the team of 30 who made the survey.

The County Coordinator stated he was in Washington D.C. on Monday and there was no word on the President’s decision at this point. He had talked to Ace Robison on Tuesday morning and his latest word from Senator Laxalt was they expected the application to be on the President’s desk on Wednesday or Thursday.

Fitzpatrick stated that all the paperwork had been done and is being processed in Washington at this time. If the President does declare a disaster, things will be greatly expedited; if he does not, they will be much slower in being acted upon.

“Until the President acts upon the matter, none of the Agencies can go ahead. If he declares it, great, if he says it is not a national disaster, then either way FHA, SBA, FEMA, and SCS will start action. The only thing, monies will be so much more available and much quicker than if he doesn’t declare it a disaster,” Fitzpatrick said.

A special message was given for the older residents, those called the senior citizens of the valley. Fitzpatrick stated, “In terms of individual grant programs, they are only available if he [the President] declares it a disaster. If grants are made available, they will principally be available to people who don’t qualify for other help, or for people on a limited or fixed income,” he said.

“If they are not eligible for small business loans and repayment, living on a low income, say social security and pensions, these would primarily be people who may qualify for grants in the event it is named a national disaster,” Fitzpatrick stated.

This feature is made possible by the Old Logandale School Historical and Cultural Society archives and the gracious assistance of Beezy Tobiasson.