BEDFORD – Lawrence County Emergency Management is calling on all residents to report any storm or flood damage they have incurred as soon as possible. This urgent request comes as officials work closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to potentially secure aid for those affected.
According to Scott Smith, Deputy EMA Director/Assistant Addressing Official, accurate and timely damage reports are crucial. “We have a threshold we must meet to receive funding, so we need everyone who has damage to report it, no matter how minimal it may seem,” Smith emphasized.
Residents who have experienced storm-related damage to their homes and are uninsured or underinsured may be eligible for assistance from FEMA to restore their homes to a livable condition. It’s important to note that federal aid from FEMA focuses on basic needs to make a home habitable, including essential elements like toilets, a roof, critical utilities, as well as functional windows and doors.
FEMA utilizes a standardized system to classify the extent of damage to homes, using the following five primary categories:
- Destroyed: The home is considered a total loss, and repairs are not feasible.
- Major: The home has sustained significant structural damage or other damage necessitating extensive repairs.
- Minor: The home has repairable non-structural damage.
- Affected: The home has primarily cosmetic damage.
- Inaccessible: Damage assessment is currently not possible due to disaster-related access issues.
These classifications ensure consistent damage assessments and help determine the appropriate level of support needed. For instance, a home with a collapsed wall would be categorized as “Major,” while a home with minor cosmetic issues like chipped paint would be classified as “Affected.”
The urgency of reporting damage was further underscored by the presence of representatives from Homeland Security in the county today, who were actively assessing the impact of the recent storms and flooding.
Lawrence County Emergency Management urges all residents who have sustained any level of storm or flood damage to contact their office today by phone at 812-277-9680 or email at lcema@lawrencecounty.in.gov. Prompt reporting will play a vital role in the county’s efforts to secure much-needed assistance for its residents.
