Flood Victims: Here Is The Help You Need

July 13, 2018

TO ALL HOUGHTON COUNTY RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY THE 2018 FLOODS

This letter is being distributed as a guide regarding the assistance that is available for Houghton County residents that have been affected by the recent floods.

First, if you need assistance cleaning out the flood damaged areas of your home or property including removing flood waters, muck, debris, carpet, drywall etc., volunteer help to do that work is available by calling (906) 233-6621.

Second, save all receipts for any costs that you have incurred, or incur going forward from the flood damage. While, at this time, it is uncertain if any assistance will be offered to individual homeowners or business by FEMA, if it does come through, they will require documentation of the costs that you have incurred. If a FEMA declaration is extended to homeowners and business, you will be required to visit them when and where they set up an office. At this point, where that will be is unknown. A number of residents who did incur damage have called stating that they were not visited by a damage assessment/FEMA team. If a team did not visit your home, that does not mean that you are ineligible to receive help if help does become available. If help does become available, we will be sure to alert all local media outlets regarding FEMA’s arrival along with where and when to go.

Two area foundations have stepped forward to offer financial help to residents that have sustained damage to their homes. First the Keweenaw Community Foundation will begin the distribution of $1,000 Visa gift cards to those individuals whose homes were completely destroyed or were considered to have sustained major damage as determined by assessment teams that visited the damaged areas. An application for those cards can be obtained online at keweenawcommunityfoundation.org/who-we-are/disaster-relief-application/, by calling 906-233-6621, or emailing dial.help@dialhelp.org. Completed applications must be submitted to Dial Help.

The Portage Health Foundation has developed a plan to that will include working with the U.P. Homebuilders Association and other trade associations to vette and coordinate licensed and insured contractors to help homeowners assess damages, provide estimates, and access Portage Health Foundation funding to complete projects necessary to get Houghton County families back into safe home. Please call 523-5920 with any questions. Applications for assistance are available at www.phgive.org and must be submitted to them by July 27 at 3:30 E.S.T.

If you are in need of cleaning supplies, water, food, tools for cleaning, etc. please visit the Volunteer Center at the rear of the former JC Penny store in the Copper County Mall on M-26 in Houghton. Open hours are from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. today (July 13) and hereafter on Saturdays only from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If your home utilizes a well for drinking water, please contact the Western U.P. District Health Department regarding the appropriate action to take to treat your well. They can be reached at 482-7382 or at http://www.wupdhd.org/.