A presidential disaster declaration has been requested by Wisconsin’s Governor after severe storms caused massive flooding in August.
Gov. Tony Evers has formally requested a presidential disaster declaration in response to severe storms and flooding, which resulted in families being displaced as well as significant damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure across six Wisconsin counties.
The request includes Milwaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Individual Assistance program. It also includes FEMA’s Public Assistance program for Door, Grant, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties.
If President Trump approves a declarationor the FEMA Individual Assistance Program, residents could receive federal help for home repairs or replacement. A public assistance declaration would give state, local and tribal governments access to federal grants to help cover the costs of things like emergency response, debris removal and repairs to public infrastructure.
“Having been on the ground to see firsthand some of the areas that have been hit hardest by the disastrous storms and flash floods that have affected folks across our state, it’s clear it’s going to take a significant amount of time and resources to recover. My administration and I have been working diligently to respond and support clean-up efforts, but it’s clear more help is needed to support the people of Wisconsin and ensure we can rebuild,” said Gov. Evers.
The preliminary damage assessment began with FEMA reviewing the initial information collected beginning on August 19, and joint federal, state, and local teams conducted field assessments on August 21-22.
The joint teams did not need to visit every home in the affected counties. This assessment provided a snapshot of the damage caused by the storm.
Homeowners should also document their damage by taking photos and saving any receipts for related expenses after this disaster. These expenses could include temporary housing, hotel stays, repairs for flood damage to your home, and appliance replacement.
In addition, initial damage reports collected by the state indicate more than $43 million in public sector damage throughout six Wisconsin counties.
More information about the disaster declaration process is available here.
