CARTER COUNTY, OK ― FEMA personnel arrived Wednesday in Carter County nearly a week after wildfires burned in Texas and Oklahoma. Now the agency is assessing the damage to see if our area qualifies for federal funds. Shelby Levins has more from Ratliff City.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, along with Oklahoma state emergency officials, rolled into Carter County Wednesday morning. Officials say damage assessment is the first step toward bringing federal funds to our area, and they invited us along for the ride.

“The governor invited FEMA to come in and do a preliminary damage assessment. It's appropriately named preliminary, so we're simple here on a fact-gathering mission,” FEMA public information officer Brad Crane said.

Federal, state, county, and local officials surveyed areas destroyed by the wildfires.

Lenard Austin and his family live off Quinton Road in Ratliff City, where he lost almost everything.

“Grandma’s house, then my sister’s, but all that’s gone now. We were a big happy family. I'm going to miss the old stuff because it was home,” Austin said.

The caravan of emergency management officials made about a half a dozen stops, looking at damaged homes and talking to people like Austin.

“This is the worst disaster we've ever had. We've had fire, but it wasn't this bad. This is the worst it's ever been, and I’ve been her my whole life,” said Austin.

Emergency management says at least 39 homes burned in the Ratliff City fire district alone. FEMA says the damage is widespread, but it's ultimately the amount of uninsured damage that will help determine if the area is approved for a federal disaster declaration.

Austin says he is ready to start the cleanup process, and even though FEMA is not done with the damage assessment process, they say to document the damage and your expenses.

“Keep receipts. Pictures and receipts are very important. If we get a declaration, I don't know when it will come down, but if and when we do have a declaration that does come down, that will be much further ahead,” Crane said.

FEMA says they will continue to tour the damaged areas Thursday. When they are done, they will turn their reports over to Governor Brad Henry, who will ultimately make the decision to request a federal disaster declaration.