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Flood Assistance Information

Flood Assistance Information

For general information call: (802) 828-3268

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VERMONT'S $2.4 MILLION DISASTER GRANT APPROVED BY FEMA (PDF)

INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE NOW AVAILABLE IN EIGHT COUNTIES: Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Orange, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor.

DISASTER RECOVERY CENTERS NOW OPEN: The following centers are still open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Monday through Saturday: Dover, Rutland, and Waterbury.  Some disaster recovery centers have closed, but aid is still available.
 

DONATIONS TO VERMONT PUBLIC LIBRARIES

We have received many calls and emails from people all across the country who want to help our libraries.  We are grateful to all of you and want to let you know how you can best help our libraries at this time. For now, please do not send books. Instead, we are accepting cash donations.

For those who want to make donations to assist Vermont public libraries who suffered damage or flooding as a result of Tropical Storm Irene, please send checks to the Vermont Public Library Foundation, c/o State Librarian, Vermont Department of Libraries, 109 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05609

Checks payable to:  Vermont Public Library Foundation, Inc.

These donations are tax deductible and will be distributed to libraries that have sustained damage from flooding.

Funds will be used for repairs, mold abatement, clean-up and replacement of books, furniture and computers.

Any funds left over will be kept in a separate account to assist public libraries in future disaster-related events.

Thank you again for your interest in and support of Vermont libraries.

Martha Reid,

State Librarian

 

Free Legal Advice:
Call 800-889-2047 to speak to attorneys available thanks to a collaboration by the Vermont Bar Association, Vermont Legal Aid, Legal Services Law Line of Vermont, and the Vermont Volunteer Lawyers Project.  Or check out http://www.vtlawhelp.org/disaster_Irene for advice.

Loans Available:
The Vermont Economic Development Authority has $10 million in low-interest financing for businesses and farms that suffered physical damage from Irene.  The funds are available immediately.  Find details at www.veda.org.

Report Business Damage:
Businesses should call the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) at 828-3211 to report damage which will be collated for VEM and FEMA.  ACCD will also make referrals for financing and technical assistance.  The information needed when businesses make the call is: name of business, location (complete address), description of damage, point of contact, date damage occured.  There are additional questions for historic properties.

Insurance Questions:
Call state insurance officials at 800-964-1784 with storm-related insurance questions or check out the frequently asked questions page at http://bit.ly/bishcaflood.
 

The Agency of Commerce and Community Development has compiled information to help answer questions and direct concerned Vermonters to knowledgeable resources.  Their list of resources can be found here: http://www.vermont.gov/portal/docs/irene0831.php


For information about roads and travel:

www.511vt.com
An interactive map showing road conditions and closings.

http://www.aot.state.vt.us/
The Agency of Transportation posts updates on road conditions as well as a Google Map with road conditions that is updated twice daily at 8:30 am and 5:00 pm.

Ride Share
This site is designed for commuters to find car pools, but can be a valuable asset for individuals whose cars are damaged or destroyed.

 


For libraries and other cultural institutions:

In order to get FEMA funding in Vermont, libraries should:

  1. Document all damage - even the smallest amount of moisture/water.  Take lots of photos and take good notes with dates.
  2. Keep ALL receipts.
  3. Document all volunteer activity with a log of names and times of signing in and signing out.

Check here to see the status of libraries in the areas hardest hit by Irene. Those with notes in Red denote libraries with any hurricane-related issues.

If you have news about yours or another library, whether problems or great stories, we would like to hear them. Do you need help? Or have you become the center for your community? Are you open additional hours? Have you brought in additional power strips for people to recharge their phones? Are you offering film nights to help your community children cope? We’ve heard of these and other activities happening in Vermont libraries and throughout the zone affected by Irene. To share your stories, please write or phone Christine Friese, Assistant State Librarian at: 802-828-2714 or christine.friese@state.vt.us.

American Institute for Conservation/Collections Emergency Response Team
(202) 661-8068
www.conservation-us.org/disaster
Call the 24-hour assistance number for advice by phone and to arrange for a team to come to the site for damage assessment and salvage organization.  Will also accept calls from the public.

Northeast Document Conservation Center Disaster Assistance Hotline
(978) 470-1010
www.nedcc.org/disaster/disaster.php
They will also accept calls from the public.  NEDCC has a lot of good advice in their preservation pamphlets and has a disaster assistance program.  NEDCC suggests that libraries tell people with water damage who HAVE electricity to wrap books in wax paper and put them in a freezer and then phone the NEDCC.

Full service recovery businesses recommended by the NEDCC - The NEDCC encourages people with wet or moldy materials to call the following companies:

  • American Technologies, Inc.
    James Gilbert
    1-800-400-9353 (toll free)
    (978) 305-8743 (cell)
  • Polygon (GSA Contract Holder - for federal institutions)
    1-800-422-6379 (1-800 I CAN DRY)
  • BMS Cat
    1-800-433-2940
  • Belfor
    1-800-856-3333
     

Heritage Preservation Group
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/TFcurrent.html
Includes contact information for local emergency management groups as well as advice .
 

Heritage Preservation Group - Tips and videos for saving wet books.
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/savewetbooks/index.html
 

To report damage to your business or speak to someone about additional resources available call (802) 828-3211.  The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) has set up a system to document damage to businesses and properties (both for and non-profit businesses, including multi-family housing providers and services) in order to assist FEMA in their collection of information.

Stabilizing and Drying Techniques (PDF) from conservator MJ Davis

LYRASIS Disaster Resources
Through our work with the National Endowment for the Humanities, LYRASIS provides a variety of publications and linked resources for institutions to more fully develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of disaster planning and response.
 


For damaged historic properties and communities:
 

List of Cooperative Disaster networks
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAM/DisasterResponseNetworks_2.16.11.pdf

Heritage Preservation Response and Recovery resources
http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/TFRespRecover.html

NCPTT Resources and Assessment forms
http://ncptt.nps.gov/2011/disaster-planning-supplementary-disaster-management-and-mitigation-resources/

FEMA HP unit
http://www.fema.gov/plan/ehp/index.shtm

Find a Conservator
http://www.conservation-us.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=495


For individuals:

www.disasterassistance.gov
Take the Pre-Screening Questionnaire to see if you qualify for government assistance as well as apply for government assistance at this website.

Vermont211.org (or dial 2-1-1)
"211" is the resource to help individuals access services now and to register information on individual property damage.

The Vermont Department of Health Facebook page has information about cleanup, water disinfection, and boil water orders.

Check the Vermont Emergency Management Team Twitter feed for updates about supply distribution, blood drives, and cleanup efforts.

The most up to date information for Vermont Emergency Management can be found on their Facebook page.  If you "like" VEM on Facebook you will be given automatic updates on your Facebook homepage as their status changes.  Includes great links to press releases and other information.

The FEMA website has tips for recovering from and coping with flood damaged property.

Steps to preserve treasured possessions (family heirlooms, photographs, and other keepsakes) (PDF) - Provided by FEMA Heritage Preservation

If you find a fuel tank on your property or floating in flood waters, please contact the Vermont Fuel Dealers Association at (802) 223-7750 or info@vermontfuel.com.

Advice for homeowners with failed septic systems (PDF) - From the Agency of Natural Resources


For farms:

To report damages to property including but not limited to barns, miling parlors, crops, fields, equipment, etc., call:

Organizations such as the Vermont Farm Bureau (802-434-5646) or NOFA Vermont (802-434-4122) can also be called.  These organizations will send a summary of the information to the Agency of Agriculture which will forward it to VEM.

Farmers experiencing loss of crops due to flooding should contact their crop insurance agent as well as the USDA Farm Service Agency (802-658-2803).

The Emergency Flood Assistance program for Businesses, administered by VEDA, is up and running.  It will provide $10 million of very low interest, no first year payment, loans to businesses which suffered losses due to flooding.  Interested businesses should go to VEDA's website for more information.


For volunteers/donations:

The Help Vermont Facebook Group is a forum for people to collaborate relief efforts.  People are encouraged to post if they need help, or if they can give it.

Montpelier Alive is coordinating volunteer efforts in that city through their Facebook page.

The Red Cross is in desperate need of blood donations.  Stop by their donation center at 32 North Prospect Street in Burlington, or the Alice Peck Day Memorial Hospital Blood Donation Center at 125 Mascoma Street in Lebanon, NH.

The Vermont Flooding 2011 Facebook page is functioning as a community bulletin board.

Help Vermont Foodbank Fundraiser

Vermont Foodbank Facebook Page

Vermont Helping Hands is also coordinating relief efforts via Facebook.

VTResponse.com is working to connect volunteers ready to help with those that need assistance.  If you want to help clean up and rebuild, let the folks behind this site know.

Volunteer and cleanup efforts are also being coordinated on Twitter via the #VTresponse hashtag.

www.VolunteerVT.com
Daniel Noyes, Program Coordinator for the Volunteer Center of Lamoille Valley can organize and lead a group for a specific project as well as refer individuals to libraries that need the help.

Seven Days has put together a list of resources on donation and volunteer efforts to help Vermonters.

Neighborhood Connections in Londonderry has been designated as the local agency (they already serve the towns of Londonderry, South Londonderry, Weston, Stratton, Chester, Andover, Windham, Winhall, Jamaica, Landgrove, and Peru) to coordinate volunteer efforts and resources, as well as requests for assitance from individuals and organizations that need help. 
For help or to donate equipment or supplies please call Neighborhood Connections at 824-4343.  They will work to match volunteers and resources.

Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Relief efforts in Northfield - click on "current notices" and follow the link

Relief efforts in Waterbury and Duxbury

Central Vermont Humane Society

Donations:

United Way of Chittenden County, which is acting as fiscal agent for the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, (802) 864-7541

VT Irene Flood Relief Fund, a fundraising effort for small Vermont businesses devastated by Irene.

To help Vermont farmers who lost crops, livestock and land to Tropical Storm Irene, the state has created the Vermont Farm Disaster Relief Fund.  The Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the Vermont Community Foundation teamed up  to create the fund, which will pool donations and offer grants to affected farmers.  Visit www.vermontagriculture.com for more information.

Vermont Community Foundation


Local Information: