Keep the area ventilated
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Executive's office released new data on Tuesday, Aug. 19 that illustrates the scope of the damage from historic flooding in the county.
New damage assessments
By the numbers:
The Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), and municipal partners have been conducting damage assessments of residential homes affected by flooding across Milwaukee County.
As of Monday, Aug. 18, Milwaukee County OEM and more than 300 volunteers from partner organizations had completed 3,434 individual property assessments throughout the county.
Of the completed assessments, approximately 53% of the inspected properties have been categorized as "destroyed" or having "major damage." Municipalities also continue to evaluate the impacts on public infrastructure, with preliminary damage estimates exceeding $34 million.
The next step
What we know:
OEM staff are working directly with WEM in preparation for the anticipated arrival of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), possibly as early as Thursday, Aug. 21. FEMA’s Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) visit is the next step in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program process.
After completing the PDA, the FEMA Regional Administrator will make a recommendation on the issuance of a Presidential disaster declaration, which would authorize federal disaster assistance.
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Once FEMA teams are deployed to Milwaukee, they will visit communities to verify damage, focusing on key geographic areas with properties classified as "destroyed" or "major damage." OEM or other emergency management staff will accompany FEMA during these assessments.
Homeowners beware
Dig deeper:
Officials stress that anyone coming to your home to assess damage will introduce themselves and provide official credentials. For your own safety, always verify IDs or badges before allowing anyone inside or sharing any personal information.
If you are unsure or uncomfortable, keep your door closed and contact local authorities. You can also report instances of suspected fraud by emailing StgopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov or calling 866-223-0814.
Report to 211
What you can do:
To date, 211 has received more than 12,000 damage reports in Milwaukee County. In some cases, it may not be necessary for officials to visit all homes that reported damage to 2-1-1. They may conduct a "drive-by" assessment to verify damage visible from the curb.
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Residents with flood damage are encouraged to continue reporting to 211, allowing residents to be matched with recovery services, ensuring eligibility for future financial assistance when it becomes available, and providing vital data for local response efforts.
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To submit a report, residents can call 211 or submit online at 211wisconsin.communityos.org/damage-report.
Information and resources continue to be regularly updated on Milwaukee County’s Flood Resources webpage.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Milwaukee County.