JEFFERSON COUNTY — According to Jefferson County officials, Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives went into flood-damaged areas in the county on Sept. 23 to view the devastation and conduct assessments.
Kathryn Heider, spokeswoman for Jefferson County, said,
“We have been included in the FEMA declaration for individual assistance and we are encouraging all residents who have been impacted by the floods to register with FEMA.”
It is uncertain when funds will become available, Heider added. She also stressed that an earlier estimate of preliminary cost to Jeffco infrastructure of $6 million will probably change because damage assessments are not complete.
To apply online, go to disaster or call 1-800-621-3362; via smartphone, go to . The county website is .
Christine Billings, emergency preparedness and response coordinator with Jefferson County Public Health, said the department is utilizing partners to help with impacts such as debris removal, keeping track of health and medical facilities to be sure they have resources they need and coordinating with the county incident management team.
A review of the damage assessment data for the county has been ongoing and includes an overview of basic needs in affected areas, such as food, water electricity, medication and access.
Nancy Braden, public information officer for Jeffco Public Health, said, “If you have been affected directly by the recent floods, there are resources to help.”
She suggested Hunger Free Colorado at
bit.ly/14rdBnf.
Hunger Free Colorado is a free, bilingual and confidential
nonprofit that can connect folks to food and nutrition resources. Their hotline number is855-855-4626.
There are also links to wellwater testing and other resources on the county website at bit.ly/16lIh5P.
Being prepared for such emergencies has merits, according to Billings, who said planning ahead for what you don’t expect may be more common to folks in the area who have experienced fires.
“Jeffco has had its share of disasters in the last few years,” she said.
But with the flooding fresh in many minds, “It’s a good time to remind them about how to prepare for such events.”
She encourages people to pack a kit, make a plan and then practice the plan.
She encouraged families to have a communication plan with an out-of-state contact person.
“It should be a person everyone can call because you might not be able to contact immediate family members if the cell phone is dead,” she said.
Amy White, a resident of Golden Gate Canyon, said she had only limited access to her driveway when flooding hit the Tucker Gulch area and the canyon was intermittently closed for days.
“We evacuated two years ago when the fire came fairly close our house. We had enough time to grab all things that were important,” she said. “Now, I keep most of my valuable belongings at my brother’s house down in town, just because you never know living here if you will have time or access to your house.”
Karen Groves: 303-954-2303, kgroves@denverpost.com
