Financial aid or other help for Greater Cincinnati flood victims could be a while in coming.
And chances that the federal government will help appear slim.
“It’s a process,” said Ryan McEwan, an emergency official with Hamilton County.
Federal resources are typically reserved for events that damage or destroy large swaths of communities.
“There’s no indication that we’re going to meet those thresholds,” said McEwan, assistant director of the county Emergency Management and Home Security Agency.
Here’s what to expect if you need relief from the July 17 storms that created 27 floods or flash floods across the region.
County will report damage to state, state will send to feds
The county expects to finish collecting information about damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure from the city of Cincinnati and other jurisdictions in the next few days, McEwan said. That includes any damage already reported to police, fire, water or sewer agencies.
The county will send that data to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency, a part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. That department and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will determine if the damage qualifies for federal funding.
The county does not believe it will. “We’re not talking about Texas-level flooding,” McEwan said.
If the state does not apply for federal funds, it could provide dollars from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.
Every disaster doesn’t necessarily trigger a state response. In August 2016, a 100-year storm that flooded Cincinnati didn’t qualify for state or federal assistance, The Enquirer reported.
The process can “take a very long time,” McEwan acknowledged. “It is not what people want to hear,” he said.
At midday July 21, the governor’s office had yet to hear from any local officials, spokesman Dan Tierney said. In a statement later that evening, Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval said he declared an emergency for the city of Cincinnati. Pureval said the order allows the city to “move quickly as needed, and importantly allows us to pursue further support at the state and federal levels.”
“What is clear as damage assessments continue to come in, as more destruction is reported and evaluated, is that it’s incumbent upon us to seek as much assistance as possible,” Pureval said.
City calls damage at Oakley business ‘major’
In city limits, representatives of Cincinnati’s Department of Buildings and Inspections were on the job the day after the flood.
They left a letter with Apollo Home, an Oakley heating and air conditioning company, with a preliminary damage determination.
The letter classified Apollo’s damage as “major,” defined as “significant structural damage [that] requires extensive repairs.”
“We sincerely regret that your family and neighbors suffered the recent flood event,” the letter said.
Apollo lost eight vehicles from its 135-truck fleet to the flood, with employees losing 17 personal vehicles, General Manager Mike Knudsen told The Enquirer.
A salvage company began emptying out his warehouse and offices two days after the flood, with clean-up expected to last through Thanksgiving, he said.
In the meantime, he shared the city letter with employees who lost cars. It includes phone numbers for them to try for additional help.
Red Cross, United Way may also offer help
As home and business owners wait to learn if they’ll get any government dollars, local officials suggested two other options:
Know about other help available to people impacted by flooding? Contact pnewberry@enquirer.com to share.
Statehouse reporter Jessie Balmert contributed.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Federal help for Cincinnati flood relief not likely, county says
Reporting by Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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By Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
