Review continues for 30-plus Indiana counties in federal disaster aid request

Residents in more Indiana counties could become eligible for federal disaster assistance as officials said Thursday that damage assessments were continuing from this month’s severe storms and flooding.

More than 13,000 aid applications have been submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency since a major disaster declaration was approved Tuesday for 21 Indiana counties.

Gov. Mike Braun last week requested that designation for 54 counties. Fred Kaehler, FEMA’s acting regional administrator, said the first group of counties were approved after “rapid assessments to try to expedite the process.”

He said during a news conference with Braun and other state officials that FEMA was coordinating with the Indiana Department of Homeland Security and local officials to document the extent of storm-related damage.

“That is still a work in progress and we’re trying to expedite that,” Kaehler said. “But nothing has been denied out of the governor’s original request.”

Storm damage could be in the billions

Those damage assessments follow severe storms, tornadoes, a derecho and flooding that began Aug. 11. 

Early estimates put residential property damage from the storms at roughly $550 million to more than $5 billion across at least 22,164 parcels, according to Braun’s request to federal officials.

The storms resulted in widespread wind damage in northwest Indiana, including more than 350,000 power outages in the area. Several thousand homes remained without electricity for more than 10 days, with Northern Indiana Public Service Co. not reporting until Wednesday that restoration was substantially complete.

Flooding hit many communities in central and eastern Indiana and pushed the White River to record-high levels as it flowed into Indianapolis.

FEMA aid doesn’t replace insurance

Braun said FEMA could most help residents who’ve seen flood damage because that is often not covered by homeowner insurance policies. The wind damage mostly seen in northwestern Indiana should to be covered under normal homeowner insurance, he said.

Residents have 60 days to apply for FEMA assistance, but Kaehler urged those with damage in the declaration-covered counties to get the process started at www.disasterassistance.gov.

“FEMA assistance will not replace all the losses. Insurance is always the best,” Kaehler said. “The FEMA grant can make the resident, the home, secure and safe, but it will never be as robust as full insurance coverage, and we know that’s sometimes a challenge. But we’ll help in those situations.”

Indiana Department of Homeland Security Executive Director Jonathan Whitham said officials were working to open mobile locations for people to submit disaster applications and soon will have fixed offices established.

“Those will be more of the traditional disaster recovery sites that will be located strategically around the state,” he said. “Obviously, we want to go where the damage has occurred.”

State Attorney General Todd Rokita also warned homeowners to remain vigilant about financial threats such as scammers posing as FEMA inspectors and contractors charging exorbitant prices or demanding excessive up-front deposits.

Complaints about possible wrongdoing can be filed with the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at indianaconsumer.com.

“It’s imperative upon the homeowners, imperative upon those who’ve been affected, that you’re not leaving your Hoosier common sense at the door when they come knocking on the door,” Rokita said.