BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — First lady Dr. Jill Biden visited Bowling Green to survey damage a month after the Quad State tornado claimed the lives of 77 total people across the Commonwealth. 

What You Need To Know

  • First lady Dr. Jill Biden surveyed tornado damage, volunteered during her visit to Bowling Green

  • Gov. Andy Beshear, first lady Britainy Beshear and U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks joined Biden during her trip

  • Mrs. Biden visited the Creekwood neighborhood and FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center

 

 

She was joined by Gov. Andy Beshear, first lady Britainy Beshear, U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hook and dozens of state and local leaders in the tornado recovery process. 

First lady Dr. Jill Biden’s visit to Bowling Green included visiting residents in the Creekwood neighborhood that had partial, complete loss of their homes and volunteering at the FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center.

“America stands with Kentucky today, tomorrow and everyday to help you rebuild,” said Dr. Biden.

Dr. Biden surveyed the damage of the tornado that killed 17 people in Bowling Green. She met with several residents of the Creekwood neighborhood including Nichetra Ford who’s dealt with looters on her property since the tornado.

“It makes me feel pretty good especially with all the issues we’ve been having up until today, you kind of lose hope a little bit,” said Ford.

Ford’s friend, Bowling Green resident Tammy Wells, was there to support her as they talked with Dr. Biden. Wells lost her entire home in the tornado, beyond the pain of it she’s grateful for the attention of the White House.

“It means a lot because she must care a lot to try to travel and see,” said Wells.

Rep. Brett Guthrie released this statement about the first lady's visit to Bowling Green:

“I hope that first lady Dr. Jill Biden and Deputy FEMA Administrator Erik Hooks took away from their visit to Bowling Green the level of destruction members of our community faced and the challenges we are still facing with rebuilding. I brought attention to the issues Kentuckians are having with navigating the federal bureaucracy to get the assistance they need. I appreciate their visit today and the work that FEMA is doing in Kentucky. I will continue to press for a more streamlined process with better communications for impacted Kentuckians to gain access to the critical resources they need as soon as possible without getting caught up with bureaucratic red tape,” said Guthrie.

Bowling Green is Rep. Guthrie’s hometown, during the visit he recounted harrowing stories of his neighbors homes being in the path of the tornado.

“We're going to rebuild. We're going to be better for it. But it is important to have the [FEMA] deputy director and absolutely important to have the first lady. Somebody said early ‘only the President can do something that we've asked’. I said well, we have the president here today, I believe. And so that's why it's important that we're here,” said Guthrie.

Gov. Beshear shared his remarks of President Biden’s decision to give flexibility with federal funding on tornado recovery efforts.

“We're thankful that the President granted our major disaster declaration. And is now given us flexibility to choose which 30 days that we use for 100% coverage of many of our costs for those days. I want to thank both of them for their quick and caring response after one of the toughest moments in our history,” said Beshear.

Dr. Biden knows how tough the moment is not only for Kentucky but for the entire country as says FEMA State Disaster Recovery Centers are crucial to recovery and connecting people in need of the right resources.

“There is hope and there is help so if you are struggling come to a disaster recovery center. There’s centers all around the state so let your friends and family know help that is available,” said Dr. Biden.

Bowling Green residents can apply for disaster assistance and get an array of referrals to other helpful agencies and resources needed to start the healing process at the FEMA State Disaster Recovery Center. FEMA Deputy Administrator Hooks has served a month in the role and says he is glad to be welcomed to the Commonwealth after serving in North Carolina as the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Advisor.

“I’m here to let the entire nation know, united we stand and together we will move forward,” said Hooks.

The Kentucky tornado relief fund has raised $41 million dollars and Gov. Beshear says every single penny will be used for Kentuckians affected by the deadly tornado despite raised concern of where dollars will go. 

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