Gov. Phil Bredesen has asked President Bush to declare 21 counties federal disaster areas following storms that ravaged the state Tuesday. He toured Madison, Shelby and Sumner counties.more>>
LAFAYETTE, Tenn. - President Bush arrived in Nashville, Tenn., at Berry Field at Nashville International Airport at 9:08 a.m.
At Bush's arrival was Sen. Lamar Alexander, Rep. Jim Cooper, Gov. Phil Bredesen and Mayor Karl Dean. President Bush also greeted one of the rescue workers who saved 11-month-old Kyson Stowell. Read more about Kyson Stowell's story click here.
After thanking the rescue worker, Bush boarded Marine One and headed out to Macon County, where Bush will survey damage, meet with local officials and express support for people affected by the tornadoes.
Bush recently declared that a major disaster exists in Tennessee, and he ordered federal aid to the area struck by the string of deadly tornadoes.
The action of declaring Tennessee a major disaster area makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the counties of Hardin, Macon, Madison, Shelby and Sumner.
Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover.
Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit groups.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
