The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA, Deanne Criswell is in New Mexico this week, visiting the Calf Canyon/Hermit's Peak burn scar.
Administrator Criswell toured the Mora area Thursday to see damage caused by the fire and speak with victims. While members of the media were not allowed to join her, she was available by phone in between stops.
“I've been able to talk with my team that's on the ground. I've been able to talk with local elected officials and I've been able to talk with survivors,” she said.
Source NM and ProPublica reported last week that FEMA has paid out only 2% of the $4 billion the U.S. Congress set aside to help victims of the fire.
“I know that there's been a lot of focus on that, and I think one of the biggest things that I want to get across to everybody is that we are building up our momentum right now,” Criswell said.
She also said that she’d like to see more victims come into the FEMA offices in Mora, Las Vegas and Santa Fe to file claims.
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