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Doyle: No retroactive flood insurance, but FEMA help possible

Kristin Czubkowski  —  6/13/2008 4:19 pm

The 50 Wisconsin communities that opted out of the federal flood insurance program may still be eligible for some Federal Emergency Management Agency aid, Gov. Jim Doyle said at a press conference Friday afternoon.

Communities have up to six months to re-enter the insurance program, but Doyle advised re-entering as soon as possible. The flood insurance benefits would not be retroactive, he said, but basic FEMA services would be available for the communities hit hard by recent storms and flooding, including "grants and funds for rebuilding."

"If you don't have insurance, you can't go back under FEMA or any private insurer and say, 'Well I didn't buy the insurance, but now that this has happened to me, I want to go back and buy the insurance. You can't do that," Doyle said.

However, individual families could receive up to $28,000 and communities could get up to 75 percent of eligible expenses covered, according to Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator Johnnie Smith.

President Bush has yet to make a declaration of a federal disaster for any of Wisconsin's damaged areas, but Doyle said he has spoken with the president and will seek a declaration by Saturday. FEMA assessors are currently in five counties -- Sauk, Columbia, Vernon, Crawford and Milwaukee -- likely the first areas to be designated disasters, but they will visit the remaining 25 counties to determine whether they are eligible as well.

Doyle also praised the efforts of emergency responders and civilians alike in handling the flooding and damage from heavy rains that have struck the state repeatedly since Sunday. In particular, no deaths or serious injuries were reported in Wisconsin, he said, thanks to "the grace of God" and "incredibly great preparedness by emergency responders." He also singled out those who have taken in families who lost their homes to the floods.

"There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people who are not able to be in their homes right now. The reason that our shelters have about 100 (people in them) is that in Wisconsin, neighbors and friends and family open their homes and help people who are in need, and that's what this state has done," he said.

The state also will be inspecting infrastructure such as dams, bridges and roads to make sure they are safe to travel on, Doyle said. Several state and interstate highways are closed, including a stretch of I-94 westbound that entails an extensive detour beginning at Delafield and going through Beloit to Madison. While some highways, such as southbound I-94 between Mauston and Lake Delton, were expected to open later Friday, Doyle said many may experience additional flooding as runoff causes already flooded rivers to rise even higher.

"Part of this is just waiting to see what nature does to us, but I hope that with good sunny weather and a little heat and a little wind, maybe in a day or so we'll be traveling around the state like we always do," he said.

Kristin Czubkowski  —  6/13/2008 4:19 pm