March 28, 2024

Residential or Business Damage

The Davison County Office of Emergency Management wants to provide you with some basic information to use if you have sustained losses or damages during a disaster. Initially, we need to complete a damage assessment of the county. If we meet the minimum criteria, we will submit a disaster declaration request to the state. To gather this information, we request all affected residents to call 211 from any phone. They will ask you the following questions: Damage Assessment-211 Questions. To determine the degree of damage to your home, please use the following criteria: Appendix E-IA Damage Assessment Matrix. If and when the disaster is approved by the President, affected citizens can register with FEMA for assistance. Assistance will be approved or denied on an individual basis.

  1. Individual Assistance (IA). Homeowners and renters affected by the disaster will have a set number of days to register for Individual Assistance. Residents can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov. or by calling 1-800-621-3362. Information on the website can be found @ disasterassistance.gov Information. Affected residents  can also visit the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in person, which will be set up in Davison County. You will need to provide some basic information similar to what you originally reported to Emergency Management, as well as your Social Security Number, any private insurance information you have, Address and Zip Code, your phone number plus basic directions to your home. FEMA Inspectors will contact affected residents to set up a time to complete an inspection on the home. They will have a FEMA ID around their neck, and they will be the only one other than the applicant to know the 9-digit FEMA Registration Number. If they do not, ask them to leave and report it to authorities. There is no cost for a FEMA inspection. Types of assistance that can be provided are home repair, rental assistance if displaced, and personal property loss; as well as other needs such as childcare costs, medical bills, funeral bills, and vehicle damage. If the applicant qualifies, they will promptly receive a check/deposit for a portion of the damages. Individual Assistance is not meant to cover all loss, it is meant to cover essential needs only. A flowchart of the process can be found @ Individual Assistance Sequence of Delivery.
    If a claim is denied or deemed ineligible, it may be as simple as a missing document. Visiting the DRC can resolve this. Important documents to upload into the FEMA website:
    1. Proof of ownership.
    2. Insurance denial (if applicable).
  2. Small Business Association (SBA). Homeowners and businesses may qualify for low interest loans to assist in repairs. Homeowners may qualify for both Individual Assistance grants and SBA loans. Yes, homeowners may qualify for a SBA loan, even though you are not a business. SBA loans are provided to get the home owner back to pre-disaster condition. Agriculture related loss does not go through SBA, but should be submitted to the local USDA office. However, a farmer’s residence and access roads to the farm are covered. Again, visit with the representatives at the DRC. The SBA Factsheet can be found @ SBA DR-4469-SD Factsheet.

 

Important information regarding your loss:

  • Report your damage by calling 211.
  • The maximum FEMA Grant is $35,500. Additional rental assistance funding may be available for those who were displaced.
  • SBA Loans can be up to $200,000 in Real Property and $40,000 in Personal Property.
  • The way the water entered the residence is not a deciding factor on eligibility.
  • Personal property can be claimed under Individual Assistance.
  • Renters can claim personal property loss.
  • Only primary residence damage is covered, along with driveways or private roads when it is the only access to the primary residence.
  • Farm/fencing damage is not covered. Contact USDA.
  • Disaster Unemployment Assistance may be available for those residents who do not qualify for regular unemployment.
  • Owners of rental property would be considered business owners and the residence would potentially qualify for a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration. Please review the SBA DR-4469-SD Factsheet for more information.
  • This is an overwhelming process, but we are here to help. You can contact the Davison County Emergency Management office at 605-995-8640 and can find out what FEMA offers @ Figuring Out FEMA Brochure.

A presentation of the 2019 damage status can be found @ EM Presentation-12-5-19

Residents should be encouraged to always prepare for flooding, by landscaping to allow water to run away from the home, and enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). While this is normally required by financial institutions on homes with a mortgage, it is available to anyone. Actually, it is fairly cheap for someone to purchase who is not in the floodplain; and the insurance pays well. Several homes damaged in the 2019 flooding were not in the floodplain. More information on NFIP can be found @ https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) uses their mapping/historical data/flooding expertise to put a flood insurance requirement on some homes after a disaster. Residents with this requirement will be notified by FEMA. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in denial of future claims.

Free Resources that can help you: 

The local Salvation Army is a great first place to start. Their crew can assist you with immediate needs following a disaster, as well as referrals to counseling services for long term recovery. They can be found @ https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/mitchell/who-we-are/.

The American Red Cross can help you with immediate, short-term disaster assistance. They can be found @ https://www.redcross.org/local/dakotas.html.

Team Rubicon is an International non-profit disaster response organization of Veterans who can assist home owners with debris removal, mold mitigation, and other disaster related capabilities free of charge. More information, as well as contacts, can be found @ Team Rubicon.

Christian Aid Ministries will provide Rapid Response Services and can assist home owners with debris removal, mold mitigation, and other disaster related capabilities free of charge. More information, as well as contacts, can be found @ Christian Aid Ministries.