State to Assist with Tornado Debris Clean-Up

Multi-Department Task Force to help in Claiborne and Campbell Counties

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville – The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will be coordinating with several state departments and agencies to respond with a task force and clean-up storm debris from public right-of-ways in Claiborne and Campbell Counties. This effort is in response to requests from the two County Mayors, who report the volume of debris from an EF-3 tornado in the July 27 storm has been overwhelming for local resources.

“With the approval of the Governor, we are pitching in to support our local governments,” TEMA Interim Director and Assistant Commissioner/Homeland Security Advisor David Purkey said. “We excel when teaming with other state agencies to help our state's people.”

The task force of state departments and agencies met on Friday with local officials to plan for clean-up work that will begin on Monday and is expected to last about a week.

Departments and Agencies involved in the Task Force:

•    Military (TEMA, National Guard)

•    Transportation

•    Safety & Homeland Security (Tennessee Highway Patrol)

•    Environment & Conservation

•    Agriculture (Forestry)

•    Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency

The state has delivered similar support previously in Lincoln and Macon Counties after storms.

Earlier this week, all of the East Tennessee counties with damage from the tornadoes, strong thunderstorms and hail on Sunday have transitioned to recovery work. Counties have completed, or are in the process of completing, damage assessment tours and are compiling numbers to provide to TEMA. The state must meet or exceed an $8.7 million financial threshold of uninsured losses to qualify under the Stafford Act for federal help.

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