Mike Salsbury/The Olympian
Matt Skinner (center), owner of Tee's Me, reacts to the damage to his downtown Olympia business following Wednesday's earthquake.

Federal officials to review damage

MIKE MADDEN, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- The federal government began to mobilize to help the Northwest deal with Wednesday's earthquake, with President Bush and members of Congress promising whatever aid the region needs.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Joe Allbaugh was scheduled to fly to the Northwest tonight to show support and inspect damage from the quake. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, were to accompany him.

"Our prayers are with those who were injured and their families and with the many thousands of people whose lives have been disrupted," Bush told reporters in Little Rock, Ark., as he toured the country pushing his budget proposal. "Thousands of people in Washington are without power or phone service. Airports are closed, and many buildings have sustained structural damage. My administration stands ready to help in any way we can."

By Wednesday evening, Gov. Gary Locke had declared an emergency in the area hit by the quake. FEMA officials could declare an emergency or a major disaster in the area as soon as they are able to assess the situation, said Mary Margaret Walker, a FEMA spokeswoman.

An emergency declaration would give state and local authorities federal aid in protecting lives and property. The more expansive disaster declaration would make federal grants and loans available to help clean up the damage, Walker said. FEMA has already established an operations center in Seattle, helping state and local officials coordinate emergency communications and transportation.

"Clearly, there are going to be some major costs and damage here," Murray said Wednesday afternoon.

House members from western Washington sent Allbaugh a letter Wednesday night, asking the administration to act quickly to release disaster relief money.

"Unfortunately, these incidences are of such severity and magnitude that effective recovery is beyond the ongoing efforts and capabilities of the state and of the affected local governments," the letter said.

Rep. Brian Baird, a Democrat whose district includes Olympia, said he was on the phone with an aide in Vancouver when the quake struck.

"She said, 'Holy smokes, the windows are shaking,' " Baird said.

None of the state's lawmakers reported any injuries among their staff or their relatives. Murray's office, on the 29th floor of the Seattle federal building, had some windows come loose.

Seattle had participated in safety efforts conducted under FEMA's Project Impact, a $25 million program to help local governments prepare for disasters. The program would be eliminated under the budget Bush released Wednesday morning, which says the effort "has not proven effective."

In addition to Seattle's city government, Clark, King, Kitsap and Pierce counties, which all felt the earthquake Wednesday, participated in the program, according to FEMA.

"Seattle and King and Pierce counties were working on these kind of efforts all along, and with Project Impact or without Project Impact, they will be moving forward," FEMA's Walker said.

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