CHICAGO (WLS) — Local, state and federal partners are out Thursday, assessing flood damage from heavy rain the Chicago area saw a few weeks ago.
They went door-to-door on the city’s Southwest Side to assess the damage.
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The city says nearly 3,000 people reported flood damage from the heavy rain at the end of last month. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and state officials are joining Cook County to survey the damage.
“What can we do to hopefully get some money to residents, or low interest loans, something to help them build back their home to the way it was?” said Kaila Lariviere, manager of emergency management services for the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
“Had to cut out drywall and replace different parts of that, so, it’s a cost that you don’t really budget for all the time, that you fear every time it rains,” homeowner Kevin Brennan said.
Brennan says last month’s storms cost him several thousand dollars in repairs.
“With the water coming up from the sewer, everything that was on the floor had to be discarded: couches, some electronics, clothes, my children’s toys,” Brennan said.
FEMA will determine if federal resources are needed in Garfield Ridge and elsewhere.
“These damage assessments we’re doing with the state is a necessary part of the process to request federal assistance. So, it’s preliminary. It’s necessary, and we’re out here doing the work,” said Kim Keblish, with FEMA public affairs.
For people like Brennan, who’s had his home flooded before, he says he’d like to see more proactive and permanent solutions moving forward.
“It has been something that’s happened year over year over year to many people around here with rain. So, I think it’s trying to fix that, understanding where the money is going that we’re paying taxes for, and how to stop this, so you don’t have to do this every couple years, and spend money you don’t necessarily have,” Brennan said.
There are nine groups spread out right now across the area. They plan to continue door-knocking throughout other neighborhoods on the Southwest Side through Sunday.
A new national flood sensor network launched Monday in Chicago.
The network will deliver real-time flood monitoring to city leaders, emergency responders and residents.
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