SPOKANE, Wash. — Governor Bob Ferguson joined Mayor Lisa Brown and other state officials for a press conference at city hall today.
“We are so grateful for everyone who is out there helping everyone,” Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said.
Gov. Ferguson says he visited neighborhoods impacted by the fires and met with firefighters from around Washington and California. He was emotional recalling a conversation he had with a retired couple who lost their home. They shared with him ‘losing a home is awful, but losing a community is worse.’ He pledged to do all he can to help rebuild these communities.
Ferguson said one of his jobs, is to make sure the he’s unlocking all possible state and federal financial help and added “we’re in this for the long haul.”
He signed an emergency proclamation for counties in central and eastern Washington that will be suspending and waiving certain laws to help individuals and businesses in the recovery. People will be able to get new documents from the Dept. of Licensing at no cost. Family emergency assistance will also be set up to help people with and without children.
The proclamation also prohibits most evictions for the next two weeks in affected areas. Ferguson praised the federal government for its quick response as well.
He’s asking the federal government to approved a major disaster declaration, which helps open access for funding. In that, the state will have to detail the overall damages and resources that were used.
Major General Gent Welsh of the WA National Guard encouraged people who are rebuilding to take it one step at a time and not give up or be paralyzed by the amount of work they’ll have to go through. He says national guardsmen will stay in the area to help the Red Cross make and distribute PPE kits.
State Treasurer Michael Pelliccotti said his mom was one of the first people to evacuate from the Indian Trail neighborhood.
“What the community has been through has been heartbreaking…but the response has been incredible,” Dave Upthegrove, WA Commissioner of Public Lands, said.
When asked about insurance companies possibly raising premiums or dropping coverage for some homeowners in the area, Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said “we’re not in the situation California is in…but I don’t want to get there.” She added the state has to be more proactive and preventative to ensure that doesn’t happen.
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