Residents asked to report moderate, severe flood damage to state homeland security
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Office of Homeland Security is encouraging City and County residents who have experienced moderate to severe flood damage this week to contact the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Reports of the damage can be made online at www.in.gov/dhs. Click on the “Report Severe Weather Damage” link in the center of the page and then the Wind/Flooding March 8 and Continuing link or click here for a direct link. IDHS will be available to take reports over the phone at 866-210-1925 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through Friday, March 20.
Residents and business owners should report any locations that have had 2 or more feet of water in the basement or first floor of a structure, including houses, garages, apartments, mobile homes and commercial properties.
The form asks a series of questions about the damage to property as it relates to flooding.
The IDHS report is NOT a request for assistance. If the area qualifies for assistance, a separate FEMA application will be required.
These initial reports to DHS will help state homeland security officials assess damage from the floods to see if the City and County will qualify for federal assistance. Local officials can tally the costs to infrastructure and public property, but need residents' help for the damage to private assets.
“Like so much of what local government does, we cannot do a complete damage assessment without the public's help to understand the full scope of losses from this week's flooding,” Mayor Tom Henry said. “Although this is not a request for assistance, anyone who has experienced moderate to severe flooding at their home or business should report it to IDHS as soon as possible.”
