Red Cross seeks reports of flood damage

Monday is the deadline to qualify for FEMA help.

By Journal staff | Saturday, June 14, 2008

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If you have property damage from the recent floods, the Red Cross and emergency management offices want to know about it.

Local aid officials need the information in an effort to qualify victims for Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance for flood damage to personal property.

"At this time, approximately 30 reports have been made," said Kathie Grant, Meade County Emergency Management director.

She said federal assistance is possible only if 100 homes and businesses report damage to the Red Cross. The deadline to report the damage is Monday, June 16.

"We know there is still quite a bit of unreported damage out there," Richard Smith, executive director of the American Red Cross in Rapid City, said.

The Red Cross will staff phones today to take reports, or individuals can send an email with information about flood damage to rsmitharc@rushmore.com.

"The Red Cross is acting as a collection point. We will give the information to the emergency managers, who will then talk through that information with FEMA," Smith said Friday.

Representatives of FEMA will be in western South Dakota Monday and Tuesday to gather information, according to Pam Buck, assistant director of emergency management for Pennington County.

"They will go out and look at individual homes on Monday and public infrastructure on Tuesday," she said.

Here's what you need to do to report the damage: 

PENNINGTON COUNTY

All residents; this includes Rapid City, Box Elder, New Underwood, Wall, Keystone and Hill City. Please call Emergency Management at 605-394-2185 (leave a message on Saturday and Sunday) or the American Red Cross at 605-342-4010 or toll free 888-271-3130. Be prepared to provide your name, address, phone number, county, description of damage, estimated cost of damage, and insurance coverage against flood type of damage.

MEADE COUNTY

All residents; this includes Sturgis, Piedmont, Summerset, Faith, and Black Hawk. Please call the American Red Cross at 605-342-4010 or toll free 888-271-3130. Be prepared to provide your name, address, phone number, county, description of damage, estimated cost of damage, and insurance coverage against flood type of damage.

LAWRENCE COUNTY

All residents; this includes Spearfish, Lead, Deadwood, and Whitewood. Please call the American Red Cross at 605-342-4010 or toll free 888-271-3130. Be prepared to provide your name, address, phone number, county, description of damage, estimated cost of damage, and insurance coverage against flood type of damage.

BUTTE COUNTY

All residents; this includes Belle Fourche, Newell, Nisland, Vale and Fruitdale. Please call 892-2494, 892-2674 or 723-0219 or the American Red Cross at 605-342-4010 or toll free 888-271-3130. Be prepared to provide your name, address, phone number, county, description of damage, estimated cost of damage, and insurance coverage against flood type of damage.

PERKINS COUNTY

All residents. Please call Perkins County at 244-5243 or the American Red Cross at 605-342-4010 or toll free 888-271-3130. Be prepared to provide your name, address, phone number, county, description of damage, estimated cost of damage, and insurance coverage against flood type of damage.

How to help:

The city of Box Elder has set up a Flood Relief Fund to help families affected by the recent flooding. Donations to the Box Elder Flood Relief Fund are being accepted at all Sentinel Federal Credit Union locations: Ellsworth Air Force Base next to the BX; 208 Frontage Road in Box Elder; 1430 North Haines Avenue in Rapid City; at the corner of South S.D. Highway 79 and Minnesota Street in Rapid City. Checks should be made payable to the Box Elder Flood Relief Fund. Donations also may be mailed to Sentinel Federal Credit Union, Re: Box Elder Flood Relief Fund, P.O. Box 700, Box Elder, SD 57719.

Families needing assistance may call the City of Box Elder, 923-1404, for an application for the fund. Contributions to the Box Elder Flood Relief Fund are not tax deductible as a charitable contribution.