Emergency management seeks damage reports
Feb. 23—Pittsburg County residents as well as those from across Oklahoma are asked to report property damages as well as any personal injuries resulting from the recent winter storm.
It's important that all reports of damage be submitted, said McAlester/Pittsburg County Office of Emergency Management Director Kevin Enloe.
Enloe said things that should be reported includes "Any kind of water damage, roof damage, if they've been without water, without electricity — anything."
Reporting the damage is important, said Enloe.
"We have to get as much reported as we possibly can to see if we've reach the threshold of getting funds for recovery," Enloe said, referring to the possibility of qualifying for funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Initial damage reports do not serve as an application for assistance. Rather, they are needed to see if the damage rises to the level where federal assistance will be made available.
Enloe said the types of damage that should be reported include:
—Flooding from broken pipes.
—Power surges that caused damage to furnaces, electrical systems or major appliances.
—Number of days without water, gas or electricity.
—Number of days displaced by the winter storm. Enloe said that refers to being displaced from your home and having to go stay in a hotel, motel or with others.
—Injuries sustained as a result of the winter storm.
Damages can be reported online at damage.ok.gov.
The online site offers three property types to report: Home, Business or Agriculture.
To report the location, click on the house icon and type in the address, with city, state and ZIP code.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is also requesting damage reports.
"We are requesting all Oklahoma residents who suffered winter storm damages to report online at damage.ok.gov," said ODEMHS Director Mark Gower in a release from the office.
"Reporting damage as soon as possible will greatly assist our ability to request additional federal assistance for the state as we recover from this historic storm."
Damage reports assist the ODEMHS in documenting the overall impact of the winter storm and contributes to supporting the case for further assistance to help homeowners, renters and business owner recover, the statement from Gower concluded.
The online site includes the following disclaimer:
"Information collected here will help local and state authorities understand locations impacted by disaster," the site states.
"Please fill out the survey more than once if you have sustained damage to homes, businesses, or agriculture in the same location. This survey is not in any form an application for or guarantee of assistance. Contact information will be used to provide information on resources available as well as how to apply for any assistance that may be available. Please note, this report is strictly for reporting damage or loss of personal property. Utility outages should still be reported to your local utility provider. If this is a life-threatening emergency, call 9-1-1."
Contact James Beaty at jbeaty@mcalesternews.com.
