This week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency began preliminary damage assessments in 30 Michigan counties that were hit by flooding and tornadoes in April.
One of the agencies working with FEMA is the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. Lauren Thompson-Phillips is a public information officer for the division.
She spoke with Morning Edition host Doug Tribou.
Doug Tribou: There has been a lot of extreme weather in the state so far this year and this isn’t FEMA’s first visit in 2026. What are they working on in this assessment?
Lauren Thompson-Phillips: We here in the state of Michigan have had three separate disasters since late February, early March. And the tornado disaster, FEMA has already done those preliminary damage assessments. And the governor has already requested a major disaster declaration for the Southwest Michigan tornadoes [that struck in March].
The efforts that are happening right now in the 30 counties across the state are directly tied to the most recent storm system post-April 10, when the State Emergency Operation Center was originally activated for the rising water levels in the Mullett Lake Watershed, specifically threatening to potentially overtop the Cheboygan Lock and Dam complex. And then on April 14, that activation was extended statewide as another storm system moved through. And then the nine tornadoes across the state added to that already existing issue of a rapid snowmelt, a lot of water in the system. And that is the disaster that we specifically are doing joint preliminary damage assessments with FEMA for right now.
DT: So can you tell us what you're seeing in these counties and how things are shaping up now, about a month out from the flooding and storms that hit there?
LTP: We have six teams going across the state. And, you know, the damage we're seeing is everything from water in basements to some homes in northern Michigan had flooding a lot higher than just basements. And then, mixed into that, we had the nine tornadoes. So we're seeing trees on homes, straight-line wind damage. So it's really a mixed bag.
DT: Some people might be wondering why FEMA is coming in for a damage assessment a month or so later. Could you describe the process and the role that Michigan State Police is playing in it?
LTP: Initially, when a community faces a disaster, the local officials go out and they'll do a preliminary damage assessment on their own communities. We ask residents to participate in that as well, and report their damage. And then what we do now is we bring FEMA in and we go out as a state.
We work with the local officials, and we go and validate and put our eyes on that damage that's already been documented by the local officials. And we do that in conjunction with FEMA, in an effort to expedite the process to where, if and when the governor does decide to make that major disaster declaration request, then FEMA wouldn't have to come back and do another damage assessment.
DT: Do you have a sense of how long FEMA will be here, how long that process will take for them?
LTP: So currently we're assessing for potential individual assistance — that would be assistance direct to homeowners and residents. We definitely will be doing it through this week and into next week, depending on how long it takes. So I would say ballpark, at least through next Thursday is our estimate. We'll be going door to door in these 30 counties and the city of Kalamazoo.
And then after the individual assessment, we also have a public assistance assessment with this disaster, as well, that evaluates damage to public infrastructure. It looks at money spent in response to disasters, things of that nature.
DT: What advice do you have for residents who need help, or want more information about the resources that are available to them?
DT: My advice, first of all, to all residents in Michigan is to prepare: to be signed up for their local alerts, to have an emergency plan in place for their family, and to have an emergency preparedness kit that could potentially sustain them for three days in their home. So that would be my first advice.
Second advice is always to make sure you're up to date on insurance. If and when FEMA individual assistance is approved, that's not complete-rebuild money. FEMA money is designed to help people get through the disaster, help them get back on their feet. But it's definitely not a substitute for insurance.
And then 211 is also a great resource. Anybody who has questions or needs resources or needs support, please dial 211 and they can help you find the information that you need.
Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
