News and Media: Disaster 4609

The record-breaking rainfall came on so fast and furious Aug. 21, deadly flash flooding was unavoidable for many. People in Dickson, Hickman, Houston, and Humphreys counties are now looking for answers. FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides eligible survivors with financial assistance and direct services. Hundreds of middle Tennessee residents have already filed an application. Some, however, may receive a letter stating their claim is ineligible for payment. If you receive that letter, you may be able to change the outcome. Many times, it’s a simple fix. An application is often denied because additional information is needed.

Houses of Worship and religious nonprofit organizations may be eligible for FEMA’s Public Assistance program to cover the costs for emergency protective measures, debris removal and repairing or replacing facilities damaged during the severe storms and flooding that occurred on Aug. 21 in Dickson, Hickman, Houston and Humphreys counties. The program is funded by FEMA and administered through the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA).

As Amy Miller, Tennessee’s National Flood Insurance Program coordinator, was surveying the damage this week from the severe storms and flooding that occurred in Middle Tennessee on Aug. 21, she spotted a yellowing, slightly dog-eared report card in the dry mud on a street in Waverly. To her surprise, she found it dated all the way back to 1922. The card appeared to belong to an eighth grader whose improving marks for the year were still visible.

With the severe storms and flooding that just took place in Middle Tennessee on Aug. 21, now is a good time for individuals and communities to become participants in the National Flood Insurance Program. Just an inch of floodwater per 1,000 square feet can cost about $10,000 to repair. Yet, most private insurance companies do not cover flood damage.