By Trish Svoboda

Kansas has been given additional time to file a request for a major federal disaster declaration following a severe winter storm that occurred in the state from January 7 to January 16. The storm brought heavy snowfall, high winds, and extreme wind chills.

“We are grateful for this extension to file our request,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The additional time will allow personnel from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management to gather all the necessary information to corroborate the incident period and the damages caused by the storms.”

In a February 7 addressed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Governor Kelly formally requested an extension until April 15, 2024, to submit the request. The purpose of the extension is to provide more time for preliminary damage assessments, which are necessary to pursue federal assistance through the Public Assistance program. This extended timeframe will allow for a thorough analysis of local damage reports and enable the determination of the necessity for joint preliminary assessments.