Lt. Governor Gilchrist Assures Gaylord Residents, “Help is absolutely on the way”

Now closing in on a week since a tornado rocked Gaylord, the state says help is on the way.

Wednesday, people in Gaylord could begin the process of filing a Joint Property Assessment through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. This will allow the state to know the extent and costs of the damage. Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist says they want people to know they are working as fast as possible.

“We’ve already expedited the process and got that Property Damage Assessment to start today, much sooner than it would have normally. So, we’re going to do everything we can to make sure we don’t have delays,” Lt. Governor Gilchrist says.

Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist says the state has already started the process of asking for a Federal Presidential Declaration of Disaster.

“Help is absolutely on the way. We’re walking through the steps of the process now to make sure we can get that help there as quickly as possible. Because every day matters. When you’re working to rebuild and this business was how you supported your family, or the home was how you shelter your family and kept them safe. You’ve got to make sure people have what they need to move forward,” says Lt. Governor Gilchrist.

Lt. Governor Gilchrist visited Gaylord Saturday and recalls the, “inspirational acts of humanity” he saw. He praised the people of Gaylord and the Michiganders who came from all over to help out. He calls for everyone in Michigan to be generous.

“Make sure you’re looking out for folks in this community that was hit hard, through no fault of their own. This storm this serious is rare, and it’s a result of things happening including our climate crisis,” Lt. Governor Gilchrist states. “So just be generous and find ways to be helpful of your fellow Michiganders in Gaylord.”