Oklahoma Sets Record For Presidential Disaster Declarations

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- This week's winter storm has allowed Oklahoma to set an apparent national record for presidential disaster declarations for one state in a calendar year. President Bush declared

Friday, December 14th 2007, 6:32 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- This week's winter storm has allowed Oklahoma to set an apparent national record for presidential disaster declarations for one state in a calendar year. President Bush declared an emergency disaster for Oklahoma on Monday following the massive ice storm that has left hundreds of thousands without power.

That marks the eighth time in 2007 that federal disaster aid had been made available via a presidential declaration to either public entities or individuals in Oklahoma.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's web site, no other state has had as many presidential disaster declarations in one year.

Bush's order directed that federal aid be used to supplement state and local response efforts.

State emergency management officials now are compiling damage estimates to report to FEMA, the step that is required before the president can declare a major disaster to exist, as Bush has done for Oklahoma six previous times this year.

Twice, including this week, he has issued emergency disaster declarations.