Gahanna and other Franklin County residents hit by August storms are eligible for up to $1,500 in state emergency aid after the Ohio Controlling Board approved $500,000 in disaster assistance on Monday, Sept. 14.

The funding covers losses from severe storms that battered central Ohio from Aug. 10 through Aug. 23, producing flash flooding, 17 confirmed tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Franklin, Morgan, Muskingum and Perry counties are all included.

Gahanna was among the hardest-hit communities in Franklin County. Emergency crews responded to water rescues there during flash flooding on Aug. 20, and businesses and city crews spent days cleaning up widespread damage.

Who qualifies

The funding, managed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), targets residents who suffered significant losses and earn less than 300% of the federal poverty level. That threshold is $47,880 for an individual and $99,000 for a family of four.

Eligible groups include families with children, individuals 55 and older, and people with disabilities. The maximum reimbursement is $1,500 for families with children in the hardest-hit areas. Other eligible residents can receive up to $750.

County job and family services offices will handle the reimbursements, according to state Sen. Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, who developed the funding plan.

"Today's vote helps assure that assistance will be going out to these families and individuals in need," Schaffer said, according to the Dispatch. "I urge the DeWine administration to act quickly to get this much needed funding out as soon as possible."

Stopgap before federal aid

The state assistance is a stopgap. As we reported Friday, Sept. 11, Gov. Mike DeWine requested a presidential major disaster declaration for the August storms. That federal request remains pending.

If approved, FEMA funding would take over and the state emergency dollars would cease, according to the Controlling Board's request. Statewide, initial federal damage assessments from early September found the flooding caused major damage to 806 properties and minor damage to 475, with at least 50 properties damaged beyond repair.

The storms killed two people, injured at least four and prompted nearly 60 water rescues across Ohio, according to DeWine's office.

Franklin County residents who believe they qualify should contact Franklin County Job and Family Services to begin the reimbursement process.