State officials are urging western Iowans who have flood damage to report an estimate of that damage. Lucinda Robertson, spokeswoman for Iowa’s Emergency Management division, says the information collected will help determine the state’s eligibility for federal disaster aid.
“This is not an application for assistance,” Robertson says. “It’s just a way to help counties and state government get a picture of the status of the damages that are out there right now and we might be able to use this to request federal aid, if it’s warranted.”
Robertson says the state has opened a hotline to collect information for a preliminary damage report. “This information that is being gathered by the hotline might help assist the state in the preparation of a request for federal disaster aid,” Robertson says. “So what they’re doing is collecting information to help us get a picture of current damage that is out there to homes and businesses.”
Western Iowans can report the severity of flood damage to their home or business by calling the Iowa Concern Hotline at 1-800-447-1985. The hotline is staffed 24 hours a day.