SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — The work to restore power, repair equipment and reopen roads in Snohomish County is finished.
But business owners, homeowners, and renters still must deal with damages from the recent storm.
“We’re starting to see the extent of the damage on our residents,” Lucia Schmit, emergency management director for the county, said.
The county’s emergency proclamation, released Tuesday, now aims to qualify property owners and the county for federal relief funds.
A big part of that is collecting storm damage information through surveys which will go out next week.
“We also have to tell the story. We have to describe the community that was impacted and describe how the community was impacted, so they know the real impact on the people and it’s not just numbers on a page, so we do our best to capture those stories to pass them on to FEMA,” Schmit said.
She says the county will work quickly to get that information to state emergency management officials. Then, hopefully, by the end of the year, know what kind of federal relief may be available.
But Schmit also said there’s no guarantee and the process is challenging.
“The funds and the resources are very limited. So if people have insurance, whether it’s homeowners insurance, whether it’s renters insurance or business insurance, that’s their best option and they should look for that first,” Schmit said.
The department will also hold in-person events in harder-hit areas for those who feel they need extra help.
“We’ll have people in the communities there and available to help them go through that and submit their damage accurately,” Schmit said.
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