$137 Million in Disaster Money Distributed to Texans [INTERVIEW]

With the flooding in Lubbock and across Texas this past May, Lubbock County Emergency Management Coordinator Clinton Thetford joined Lubbock's First News to talk about disaster declarations.

"Generally your mayors and county judges in Texas are the directors of emergency management as defined under 418 of the Texas Government Code," said Thetford. "They have the authority to declare states of disaster or emergency within those jurisdictions."

The department determines what types of resources are needed, then requests that help through a disaster declaration.

According to a FEMA press release, as of June 30, 2015 some $137 million in state and federal money has been approved and/or paid out to Texans affected by the severe weather, which included tornadoes and flooding.

Listen to the entire interview with Clinton Thetford in the video above.

Tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Tom Collins and Laura Mac each weekday morning from 6 to 8:30 a.m. on NewsTalk 790 KFYO or online at KFYO.com.