Faulkner County officials prepared Tuesday for President Barack Obama's visit to Vilonia today as donations continued to pour in, signs that the area is on the road to recovery from the state's deadliest tornado in five decades.

Obama plans to meet with first responders and victims' families while touring damaged areas of the Faulkner County town during his first presidential visit to Arkansas.

"It's very real evidence of the support we're receiving on a federal level," Faulkner County Judge Allen Dodson said of Obama's visit. "It's an honor to have a president visit anytime, but in this setting ... you can't quantify what it means with a sentence or two.

"As a healing standpoint, it's a milestone," he said.

Twelve of the 16 people who died in the April 27 tornado -- including the baby of a woman injured when she was pregnant with it -- were from Faulkner County. Three others died in western Pulaski County and one died in El Paso in White County.

The National Weather Service in North Little Rock said the death of the baby, who was issued a birth certificate, made the tornado the deadliest in Arkansas since the May 15, 1968, twister that killed 35 people in Tuckerman and Jonesboro. That tornado had wind speeds that topped 200 mph, the weather service said.

Dodson said Tuesday that he hopes he can have a "one-on-one dialogue" with the president about the assistance offered.

Nine days after the EF4 tornado with winds nearing 200 mph ripped through Pulaski, Faulkner and White counties, Federal Emergency Management Agency teams continued assessing the damage and began setting up mobile registration centers for victims to apply for financial assistance.

The agency has received 142 requests for individual assistance and approved spending $1.2 million for home repairs, temporary housing and medical costs, said Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokesman Brandon Morris.

The federal disaster declaration issued for Faulkner County last week was amended Monday to include Pulaski, White and Randolph counties. Randolph County received the designation because of flooding that damaged roads.

Those affected by the storm in those counties can register for assistance online at disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362. The number is accessible from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.

The Arkansas Forestry Commission urged property owners to consider conducting appraisals with a county forester to determine the extent of damage to fallen timber. In a commission news release, spokesman Adriane Barnes said landowners should remember that the timber felled by the tornado will dry and rot quickly.

She suggested people contact county foresters for assistance. A list of consulting foresters can be found at the commission's website at arkansas.gov/abof/.

Meanwhile Tuesday, volunteers helped cut fallen trees and cleaned up debris -- a process that began almost immediately after the tornado struck, Dodson said.

"It's been amazing," the county judge said of the assistance. "Everybody is working so well together."

Dodson credited the cleanup efforts to preparation. Two weeks before the tornado hit Faulkner County, officials there held a "tabletop exercise" that simulated what would happen if a large tornado devastated the county.

"We held meetings that geared up for this," he said.

Marion County Office of Emergency Management coordinator Keith Edmonds said people in his county added to the donations pouring in from churches, schools, businesses and other groups by collecting clothing, supplies and food and loading up a 48-foot tractor-trailer that was delivered Tuesday afternoon to Vilonia.

"It's unreal," he said. "There are so many heartfelt wishes. We don't have a high risk for tornadoes [in Marion County] because of the hilly terrain. But other disasters can happen. We told Vilonia, 'You'd do it for us.'"

Edmonds said students at Yellville-Summit, Bruno-Payette and Flippin school districts oversaw the collection of goods.

One elementary-aged girl wanted to help but had no money, Edmonds said.

"She stood there and took a barrette out of her hair," Edmonds said. "She gave it to us and said maybe a little girl in Vilonia needed it."

National Weather Service forecasters are predicting thunderstorms will reach central Arkansas -- including the tornado-hit areas -- by late Thursday afternoon or early evening. The storms will continue into eastern Arkansas overnight.

"There's a slight risk of severe weather," meteorologist Lance Pyle of North Little Rock said.

Another round of rain is forecast to reach the state by Sunday evening. Rainfall around the state from Thursday through Sunday should average 1 to 2 inches, but some areas in the east and southeast portions of the state could receive up to 3 inches.

Today's forecast for Obama's visit to Vilonia calls for 85 degrees and clear skies.

"I think this [visit] will show us there's a lot of support for us," Dodson said. "We've been seeing good, responsive assistance by the federal agencies. That was evident by Homeland Security Secretary [Jeh] Johnson's visit. He was interested in having a real dialogue with us. It wasn't a photo op. They wanted to ensure we were doing the right things.

"It says something to us that if this is important enough for the most powerful man on Earth to come. We can depend on them for help."

A Section on 05/07/2014