Three weeks out from devastating floods in Northwest Iowa, recovery continues. The Red Cross has been on the ground in affected areas since the beginning of the disaster and will continue to assist residents in finding some sort of relief in the face of horrible loss. American Red Cross Public Affairs Manager Kim Mailes says if you’re affected, the Red Cross is there to help.
Cleanup is beginning to slow, property assessments are still taking place, but a shift in focus is starting.
Mailes says at the beginning of operations, 14 shelters were opened, they recorded 4,000 overnight stays, served 30,000 meals and supported 11 emergency operation centers. He says the Red Cross now operates two emergency shelters but still serve more than 1400 meals each day. The Red Cross also records damage assessments in a database and shares it with FEMA.
That’s when The Red Cross contacts people that have been recorded in the database and meets with them individually to determine their needs. Quite often it’s assistance with replacing furniture, clothing, medicines, etc., and once the Red Cross completes 85% disaster assessment, they start providing financial assistance. Financial assistance is in addition to anything received from other organizations such as an insurance settlement or FEMA payout and is not based on income. Mailes says people who might have been missed during the assessment phase can call the Red Cross and an assessment crew will be dispatched to their location. That number is 1-800-Red-Cross (1-800-733-2767).
