ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ill. — Preliminary damage assessment teams will be going door to door evaluating damage in St. Clair and Winnebago counties from severe weather earlier this month.
Local, state and federal agencies include the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA). Crews will operate in a joint effort to survey preliminary damage between 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The crews will be wearing visible identification and not ask for personal identification or financial questions at this time.
FEMA says 'Disaster Survivor Assistance' teams and home inspectors are often sent to rural areas to help disaster.
Officials are warning people to watch out for scams because fraud can happen when seeking disaster assistance.
It's been nearly two weeks since the Metro East was hit by historic flooding. Homes, businesses, roads and even an animal shelter sustained damage. The severe weather hit on July 16th and its remnants were felt days after. Now residents are faced with the reality of what to do next if they have damage.
The water damage at the St. Clair County Animal Control Center promoted Gateway Pet Guardians and the Belleville Area Humane Society stepped up to carry animals to dry ground. First responders in St. Clair County also rescued several dozens of people from the rising water.
County officials signed a flood disaster declaration for the area after 8 inches of rain fell in the span of a few hours. Mark Kern, who serves on the St. Clair County board as its chairman said the rainfall is something he'd not seen often.
"It was very clear that this was a storm that we hadn't seen for decades, in many parts of the county, many inches of rain, a lot of damage not only to residential homes where we had to do water rescues, but also government buildings were damaged," Kern said.
St. Clair County Emergency Management Agency officials say they've already done some damage assessing on their own.
The agency says there are more than 900 people impacted in the Metro East that now have a chance to receive help. The help could look different, with some people even maybe eligible for a flood buyout.
July's flooding also hit Jersey County where a couple died. And in Washington County, in Nashville, Illinois county officials also declared a local disaster declaration for the area in order to receive assistance from the state for recovery efforts. Homes, businesses, roads were flooded during the July storms.
Nashville residents in need of cleaning supplies can call Washington County Emergency Management, which is partnering with the Red Cross and other groups to provide kits. The number to call is 618-327-4800.
Washington County officials want you to remember the following: Floodwaters can often be harmful and unhealthy for your body, so be sure to wear protective gear including goggles, N-95 respirator, long sleeves, gloves, long pants and boots.
Things like mold can start growing in 24-48 hours in damp conditions. It can cause respiratory issues, especially people with asthma or allergies.
If you're a St. Clair County resident and need flood disaster resources you can head to the county's website.