In quest for federal aid, Spokane Emergency Management seeks storm damage data

Mon., Nov. 30, 2015

By Jim Camden jimc@spokesman.com (509) 879-7461

Area residents and business owners who sustained damages from the Nov. 17 windstorm are being asked to report it to the Greater Spokane Emergency Management website to help compile data for a federal aid request.

Reporting the damage to the agency would be the third step for people who have losses from the storm, it said in a news release Monday.

The first step is to identify and list all the damages, and make estimates for repairs or replacement. The second step would be to contact the homeowner or business’s insurance company to report the damage and get advice on any additional steps needed under the policy.

After contacting the insurance company, the agency is asking people who sustained any losses to go to its website and click on the photo that says “Report Wind Damage.” Although the actual form is on a site for King County, the reports from Spokane County will be used to develop a county-wide damage assessment that would be used in requesting federal aid.

The agency is asking all residents and business owners who had losses to fill out the online report, even if the damage is minor and they don’t expect to request assistance.

An estimate of the total damage from the windstorm is not yet available from state or insurance industry sources, and may not be for weeks.

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