JEFFERSON CITY — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be joining other agencies to help assess damage from last week’s flash floods, Gov. Mike Parson announced.
FEMA representatives will join members of other agencies in confirming whether the area needs a federal Major Disaster Declaration. Such a declaration would make federal funds available to help the recovery.
The FEMA representatives will arrive Monday to join teams already at work from the State Emergency Management Agency, along with the U.S. Small Business Administration and local emergency management officials.
The teams will verify documented damage in order to determine which federal programs can be used to help. Everyone who has damage from the storms and floods is requested to report it to their local emergency management agency if they have not already done so.
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To assist people who need help after the storms and flooding, several organizations and agencies have created Multi-Agency Resource Centers. These centers provide experts in a host of post-disaster fields, such as housing, insurance, food stamp replacement, mental health counseling and other areas.
The centers will be:
• Tuesday, 3-8 p.m., Element Church, 100 Mall Parkway, Unit 500, Wentzville.
• Wednesday, 3-8 p.m., John F. Kennedy Community Center, 315 Howdershell Road, Florissant.
• Thursday, 3-8 p.m., Centennial Commons, 7210 Olive Boulevard, University City.
• Friday, City of St. Louis, time and location to be determined.
An American Red Cross shelter is also open for people who need to stay overnight at 7335 St. Charles Rock Road.
Anyone who needs assistance may call the United Way by dialing 211 or by going to 211helps.org. That is also where people can submit information to be shared with emergency management agencies and community organizations and also where to find pertinent phone numbers for everything from basic needs and child care to health, food and legal questions.
Sarah Russell, commissioner of City of St. Louis Emergency Management, said in a media briefing Sunday that her department has counted more than 1,100 homes impacted by the floods through canvassing and tracking calls to for help to the city and social services.
Rusell said that her office has seen a higher level of damage to homes from the flash floods, when compared with recent river flooding which she called a “slower event” that emergency officials are better able to prepare for.
“This is different,” she said. “This is going to improve the way that we do processes. We’re learning as we go along through this.”
More information is available at recovery.mo.gov.
Erin Heffernan of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Photos: Flash flooding soaks residents twice in a week as cleanup begins
"I am just exhausted. I am waiting to hear back from cleaning services and insurance companies," said Jamal Walls, who takes a moment to breathe, from clearing out items from his flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, in the 7000 block of Dartmouth Avenue in University City.
Kasey Hawkins, 10, joins family members helping her aunt Kenquita Hawkins move from her apartment in The Reserve at Winding Creek apartments in Hazelwood on Friday, July 29, 2022. Residents scrambled for moving trucks when told they had to vacate the complex by the end of the day.
"This year I quit paying my flood insurance. I had been pay $2500 a year since 2008," said Timothy Grotrian, who cleans out his flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, at his home along the 1200 block of Waldron Avenue in University City. Grotrian said his basement took in more than 5 ft of water during the first flash flooding on Tuesday. His basement flooded again yesterday during the heavy rains, flooding with more than 2 ft. of water. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
A resident of The Reserve at Winding Creek apartments in Hazelwood dons a mask before entering her building to clean out her unit on Friday, July 29, 2022.
Ernie Carr, 76, carries away a two-day-old dehumidifier after Tuesday's flood that was destroyed in Thursday's second flood in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Carr and his wife Nancy, who have lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, had just finished cleaning up more than six feet of water in their basement from the River des Peres Thursday morning.
"I am just digging through a lifetime of memories.... water always wins," said Ty Treutelaar, who clears out items in his flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, along the 1100 block of Birch Lane in University City.
Mia Henderson clears out carpet from a flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, along the 7000 block of Dartmouth Avenue in University City. More than a dozen houses were flooded along the street from flash flooding on July 26.
"I was sitting with my children on the edge of the couch and the water kept rising. It looked like we were on a cruise ship. I don't swim," said Patricia Saddler, who recalls how the water kept rising on the first floor of her house early Tuesday morning, as she salvaged clothing on Friday, July 29, 2022, at her home along the 1000 block of Wilson Avenue in University City. Saddler's home has been condemned since Tuesday evening. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Brinkley Sandvall, who flew in from Texas to help clean up her brother's flooded home, uses bleach water to clean toys on Friday, July 29, 2022, along the 1000 block of Wilson Street in University City. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
Ernie Carr, 76, carries away a two-day-old dehumidifier brought by his grandson after Tuesday's flood that was destroyed in Thursday's second flood in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Carr and his wife Nancy, who have lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, had just finished cleaning up more than six feet of water in their basement from the River des Peres Thursday morning when four more feet came, floating away their new purchase. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
John Ward takes a moment to pet Vickie Barton's dog Freya while emptying his wheelbarrow into a city-provided trash container in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Thursday afternoon storms filled residents' streets and basements with water from the River des Peres for the second time this week. "If they'd come with a good buyout offer, I'm gone," said Ward, a 29 resident of Ellendale. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
"These tires used to be in the garage," said Anthony Saddler, who cleared items from his flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, on Wilson Avenue in University City. Saddler said his home has been condemned since Tuesday evening.
Ernie Carr, 76, takes a rest while his son-in-law washes down his basement that filled with Thursday's floodwater from the River des Peres for the second time in a week in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. "Two times in a week, and it's never happened," said Carr, who has lived on Hermitage Avenue for 40 years. "So what did MSD do?" Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Steve Gibson's dog Ripper sniffs water soaked rags used to clean up Gibson's classic car garage behind his Hermitage Avenue home in Ellendale after Thursday's flood, the second in a week, on Friday, July 29, 2022. Gibson raised two cars in his garage, including his 1968 Plymouth Barracuda. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Mud-coated dolls sit in the backyard of the Hermitage Avenue home of Ernie and Nancy Carr following two floods of the River des Peres in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
John Ward carts flooded contents of his Hermitage Avenue home to a city-provided trash container in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Thursday afternoon storms filled residents' streets and basements with water from the River des Peres for the second time this week. "If they'd come with a good buyout offer, I'm gone," said Ward, a 29 resident of Ellendale. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Ernie Carr, 76, tosses away a lifetime of running bibs and numbers after his basement flooded twice in a week in Ellendale on Friday, July 29, 2022. Carr and his wife Nancy, who have lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, had just finished cleaning up more than six feet of water in their basement from the River des Peres Thursday morning when four more feet flowed inside that afternoon. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Larry Ball carries artwork from his apartment in the Reserve at Winding Creek Apartments in Hazelwood on Friday, July 29, 2022. Residents, many who were rescued by boat from the flooded complex on Tuesday, scrambled for moving trucks when told they had to vacate the complex by the end of the day. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
A family member of Kenquita Hawkins peers from a truck as neighbors pack up and leave the Reserve at Winding Creek Apartments in Hazelwood on Friday, July 29, 2022. Residents, many who were rescued by boat from the flooded complex on Tuesday, scrambled for moving trucks when told they had to vacate the complex by the end of the day. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
"We lost everything," said Keith Terry as he looks over his toppled refrigerator while cleaning out his apartment in the Reserve at Winding Creek Apartments in Hazelwood on Friday, July 29, 2022. Residents, many who were rescued by boat from the flooded complex on Tuesday, scrambled for moving trucks when told they had to vacate the complex by the end of the day on Friday. Photo by Robert Cohen, rcohen@post-dispatch.com
Kenquita Hawkins has a final look inside her unit before shutting the door after salvaging what she could from the Reserve at Winding Creek Apartments in Hazelwood on Friday, July 29, 2022. Residents, many who were rescued by boat from the flooded complex on Tuesday, scrambled for moving trucks when told they had to vacate the complex by the end of the day.
"This year I quit paying my flood insurance. I had been pay $2500 a year since 2008," said Timothy Grotrian, who cleans out his flooded basement on Friday, July 29, 2022, at his home along the 1200 block of Waldron Avenue in University City. Grotrian said his basement took in more than 5 ft of water during the first flash flooding on Tuesday. His basement flooded again yesterday during the heavy rains, flooding with more than 2 ft. of water. Photo by Laurie Skrivan, lskrivan@post-dispatch.com
