FEMA considers individual assistance on flooding damage

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is asking people whose property was damaged in the flooding earlier this month to fill out a form, which could lead to those people qualifying for assistance in repairing the damage.

Hill County Disaster and Emergency Services Joe Parenteau said this morning that FEMA officials have been through the area this week, and will get together today or early next week to see if damage justifies a presidential disaster declaration. The officials also are asking people who sustained damage to private property fill out a form listing the damage.

“If we get the presidential declaration, then we might be able to get the individual assistance as well,” he said.

In a federal disaster, two separate declarations are needed for private individuals to receive aid. The first generally is for public assistance, which is provided to the local governments to help recover from the disaster. In an individual assistance declaration, private property owners also could get some help.

The rainfall from mid-May through early June — setting records for daily amounts on some days and dropping as much as a half-year’s to a full year’s normal total in some areas — led to Gov. Steve Bullock declaring a state emergency for 14 counties, including Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty, and both the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy’s Indian reservations.

The area qualified for both public assistance and individual assistance in the massive disaster declaration in 2011 that again included most of north-central Montana, one year after a federal disaster was declared in 2010 for Rocky Boy and Hill County due to flooding that year.

The area did not qualify for individual assistance in 2010.

Parenteau said this morning that anyone who had water due to the flooding and rain event get into their house, basement or crawl spaces, should fill out the form, available at the health departments and DES offices of local governments and online.

He said any damage — such as to a water heater, a furnace or carpeting, or the growth of black mold — should be reported.

Assistance could come in a variety of ways if the area qualifies, Parenteau added.

As well as financial assistance through FEMA, groups such as the Salvation Army, American Red Cross and Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters could provide help including volunteer labor to help with removing damaged items and cleaning up homes, “to make them liveable again,” he said.

He also urged people to deal quickly with black mold, which can be very dangerous especially to children, the elderly and people with breathing ailments.

He said the forms are available in Hill County at the county Health Department in the Hill County Courthouse Annex, and people can call him at 265-5481, ext. 283, or email him at [email protected] to obtain a copy. The Hill County Health Department also is making the forms available on its Facebook page, Parenteau said, and people who have a form can print as many copies as they need to give to friends, family and neighbors.

He said the forms can be mailed, dropped off at his office in the Health Department or emailed to him. Forms mailed can be sent to: Attn: DES, 302 4th Ave., Havre MT 59501.