Flood-damage help available (Updated Jan. 13)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009 3:09 PM PST
By Barbara LaBoe
Printable version
E-mail this articleCowlitz County residents with flood-related damage should report it by Thursday to help the county qualify for disaster funds, officials said.
The county and state are gathering information about flood damages to see if they can qualify for Federal Emergency Mangement Agency assistance such as low-cost loans or federal grants to cover uninsured public and private losses. FEMA money can be used to repair public roads, fix private residences and help businesses recover economically.
To qualify, though, officials need information from residents about the damage to their homes, business or personal belongings. Residents will be asked about their insurance status, the estimated loss or damage and the estimated pre-disaster fair market value of their homes and items.
“Every call helps,” said Grover Laseke, director of the county’s Department of Emergency Management, which is collecting the county information. “Sometimes all it takes is one more extra call to qualify.”
Reports can be made online at www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/dem. If you do not have Internet access, call the Department of Emergency Management at (360) 577-3130 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays to report damage.
Providing damage information is not an official application for FEMA money, it just helps the county qualify for that assistance, Laseke said. It may take weeks before it’s known if the county qualifies, so anyone who makes repairs in the meantime should keep records of everything. Pictures also are helpful, officials said.
Snow related damage information also will be collected but for now flood information is taking a priority, Laseke said.
County officials also hope to organize a group of civic and religious groups to spearhead volunteer efforts to help flood victims. Information about volunteer opportunities should be available soon, Laseke said.
Wahkiakum County residents have until Wednesday to report their damages, according to a county press release. Reports can be called into the sheriff’s office at (360) 795-3242.
Residents returning to flood-damaged homes and businesses also are urged to take safety precautions for contaminated water, mold and bacteria, according to the state Department of Health.
Bottled, boiled or disinfected water should be used until a private well can be tested for containments. Rubber gloves, boots and goggles should be worn and items that can’t be washed or disinfected with bleach or other cleaning products should be thrown out. People working on flood cleanup also should be up to date on their vaccinations, including having a tetanus vaccine within the last 10 years. Information about flood health hazards is available online at http://www.doh.wa.gov/Publicat/2009_news/09-009.htm.
Cleanup kits
Kalama residents cleaning up after last week’s floods are reminded that free American Red Cross cleanup kits are available at Pritchard’s store, 2106 Kalama River Road. Mops, detergents, bleach and other supplie are included. The number is 673-4449.
Free space
The Mount St. Helens RV Park, 167 Shaffran Road, Castle Rock, is offering free space to flood victims for up to 30 days, according to Shari Miller, the receptionist. The park, located about two miles east of Castle Rock, has full hookups. The number is 274-8522.
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