FEMA Continues Flood Assessment in North

A Federal Emergency Management team in far northern Wisconsin is still assessing damage from the June 20 flood, but the deadline to apply for help is nearing.

Thirty-five to 40 FEMA staffers are taking field trips and talking to local officials in Douglas, Ashland, Bayfield Counties and the Red Cliff reservation.FEMA External Affairs Officer Hannah Vick says, “Essentially what we’re going to be doing is having 44 meetings. We’ve completed 28 of those meetings, and we’re holding those meetings every day.”

Although first estimates of uninsured damage to public facilities were set at more than $8 million, Vick says the tally will not be known until those meetings are finished. “Some of them will say ‘Well, we’ve already done this, this and that. We’ve already fixed this bridge or we’ve already fixed this road, this is how we did it.’ And, some will say ‘Oh, we’re still waiting to do more work. We’re looking at doing this and this and this.’”

Communities have 30 days after the presidential disaster declaration August 2 to submit their requests to FEMA. Vick says FEMA is not too concerned with the timeline. “We feel very confident that we’re going to find everybody before that deadline is near.”

The Small Business Administration is also offering help. They have 2 percent interest loans for businesses and homeowners hit by the flood in Burnett and Douglas Counties. As of late last week, 24 home applications were requested and six businesses have asked for loans.