BERLIN, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont Gov. Phil Scott said at a news briefing Tuesday that we still have a lot of work ahead of us to recover from the latest round of devastating flooding that hit our region last week, and he urged Vermonters to help their neighbors.
The governor said his team members are doing whatever they can to cut through red tape to get communities what they need, but he again stressed the importance of all flood victims documenting and submitting their damage reports to 211. He said that will be key to getting the state over the threshold for federal assistance from FEMA.
If there is enough damage, homeowners and renters may receive individual assistance.
The governor said any damage from flooding to property, equipment or vehicles qualifies, and even if you think you may not need help, you should submit damage reports to 211 to help your neighbors.
As of Tuesday, there have been 1,500 reports of major flood damage to 211. Officials said if you had trouble getting through to 211, try again. They said the average callback time is less than an hour.
State officials said once you document your damage with photos and videos and report it to 211 and your insurance, start cleaning up immediately to try to prevent the impacts of mold.
Scott called on Vermonters to help one another clean up. The governor noted that Vermonters are resilient with a proven willingness to step up and help their neighbors. He said we all have a role to play in the recovery.
“Check on your neighbors, help muck out their basement, move some debris, or offer to pick up supplies,” said Scott, R-Vermont. “Even a few hours can make a big difference for someone who has been at it a while, especially in this heat.”
If you need help cleaning up, call 211 to get directed to Crisis Cleanup or go to CrisisCleanup.org.
Click here for information on other ways you can assist.
The governor said payments will be expedited to the state’s Highway Aid Program which will issue almost $30 million to towns throughout the state. He said this way, towns will be able to use the funds right away instead of waiting for quarterly payments.
Vt. Natural Resources Secretary Julie Moore talked about calls for dredging. She said while dredging is an important river management tool, it comes with significant risk. She said dredging will not solve flooding but may provide alleviation in some circumstances. But she warned that you must think about the whole river system because dredging your property could be harmful to neighbors downstream