The input from residents will help communities create strategies and take action to reduce the future risk of death, injuries and property damage from natural disasters, officials said.
FEMA
Flooding is the state’s most threatening natural disaster and touches every corner in Illinois, but communities of color and poorer areas often face the greatest risk — particularly in the city of Chicago and greater Cook County. Sewer and stormwater infrastructure can often no longer handle the onslaught of water that comes from these heavy rainfalls, experts told Illinois Answers.
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, renters and homeowners have until 11:59 p.m. Friday to apply for the disaster assistance, which comes more than five months after rain and flooding wreaked havoc around Cook County.
A federal disaster declaration was issued last month in Cook County for severe storms and flooding on Sept. 17 and 18, which significantly impacted the south suburbs of Chicago. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is on Jan. 19, 2024.
Deadline Extended to Oct. 30 for Cook County Residents Applying for Federal Help After Severe Storms
Cook County residents have until Oct. 30 to apply for assistance, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, officials said.
Starting at approximately 1:20 p.m. CT on Wednesday, the federal government will begin conducting a nationwide test of its Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Residents of Calumet City are recovering from a second round of flooding in less than three months after more than half a foot of rain fell on the area Sunday.
Facilities are open on the West Side and in nearby suburbs to assist residents applying for federal assistance for damage caused by severe storms that occurred between June 29 and July 2.
Representatives with FEMA and the SBA are in Cook County to assist people with applying for federal grants and loans as the agencies work to open a designated recovery center in the area.
In his first comments on the disaster since late last week, Biden said he wanted to ensure a possible presidential visit wouldn’t impede recovery efforts.
West Siders were hit particularly hard by floods nearly a month ago. More than 8 inches of rain flooded basements and ruined people's belongings.
Florida, with nearly four dozen reported dead, was hit hardest by the Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest to make landfall in the United States. Flooded roadways and washed-out bridges to barrier islands left many people isolated amid limited cellphone service and a lack of basic amenities such as water, electricity and the internet.
More than 60% of power customers in Puerto Rico remained without energy on Thursday, and a third of customers were without water — and local officials admitted they could not say when service would be fully restored.
As of Dec. 6, about 226,000 people had shared in the nearly $1.5 billion that FEMA has spent on COVID-19 related funeral costs. With the nation’s coronavirus death toll topping 800,000, it’s clear that many families who are eligible for reimbursement have yet to take advantage of the funeral benefit.
The risk of that third shutdown may now be over late today after a funding announcement from FEMA and a tentative stop-gap measure in the U.S. Senate. Carol Marin and her panel have the latest.
