REEDSBURG — With varying levels of hopefulness, flood victims are coming to this Sauk County city to begin figuring out whether they qualify for cash aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The first of FEMA's disaster recovery centers in Wisconsin opened in the high school here Monday. Others have since opened in Viroqua and Soldiers Grove, and more could be coming.

Wednesday, FEMA declared five more counties — Dodge, Green, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago — federal disaster areas, bringing to 12 the number where residents are now eligible for disaster relief.

Janice Moore was among the 111 people who went to the Reedsburg center Tuesday.

"What happens if the house isn't livable?" she asked FEMA representative David Whidden.

Moore and her fiance, Anthony Libretti, lost almost all of their possessions — at least $15,000 worth — when floodwaters filled the first floor of their rental house in Rock Springs.

Moore, who had no flood insurance, found out she may qualify for temporary housing assistance and compensation for some of her possessions. But she won't know dollar amounts until an inspector tours the home, probably within seven to 10 days.

"I think they kind of leave you wondering so you don't get your hopes up," Moore said.

For thousands of Wisconsin residents, a newfound familiarity with FEMA will be part of the weeks ahead. Anecdotes differ on how easy or frustrating the process can be.

"I guess I've heard both sides," said George Riedel, deputy executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers in Madison. "My own perception and experience is that it's not a quick process, but at the same time, it is not that lengthy either. I believe FEMA does a pretty good job of getting an application from a person and trying to get a check back to that person fairly quickly."

The first person to receive aid in Wisconsin — a Columbia County resident — was approved Monday, less than 48 hours after President Bush declared the county a disaster area, said Philip Clark, a FEMA spokesman.

If the recipient uses direct deposit, the cash can be in their bank account within a day or so of being approved, he said. More typically, the process from start to finish takes two to four weeks, Clark said.

Amount of aid limited

FEMA officials and others stress that the maximum any individual can get — $28,800 — is relatively minimal in the scope of major damage.

"Some people expect FEMA to come in and make them whole, and that doesn't happen," Riedel said.

FEMA officials said they did not have a figure on the average payout. But "if you lose your house, $28,800 isn't much money," Clark said. "That's why we want people to have flood insurance." The National Flood Insurance Program, administered by FEMA, insures homes up to $200,000 and contents up to $50,000, he said.

Last August, when Sauk County also was declared a disaster area after a less-serious flood, Moore said she put in a FEMA claim for flooding in the basement of a home she owned in Rock Springs. She received $160 for cleaning supplies and was disappointed.

This year's flooding is much more extensive. Damage to homes in Sauk County is estimated at more than $22 million, compared to $190,000 last year, said Jeff Jelinek, the county's emergency management director.

Jelinek said he considers the time from filing a FEMA claim to receiving aid "pretty quick" — sometimes a week or so.

The FEMA disaster recovery centers are intended to provide guidance to flood victims who already have applied for federal help. FEMA prefers that people apply either over the phone at 1-800-621-3362 or online at www.fema.gov.

The centers bring together government and nonprofit agencies. At the Reedsburg center, flood victims can talk to county officials, mental health experts, spiritual counselors and representatives from the Red Cross and the Internal Revenue Service.

Lots of unknowns

Many of the people coming to the Reedsburg center said they'd had no prior experience with FEMA and didn't know what to expect.

"It just seems like a lot of paperwork," said Al Stewart of Reedsburg, who had two feet of water in his basement. "I don't know that we expect a lot out of this."

He hopes to get money to help replace his furnace and other appliances.

Manuel and Diana Altuzar estimated they lost $25,000 to $30,000 in furniture, carpeting and appliances when a foot of water flooded the finished basement of their Reedsburg home.

"We're not really sure about the process, but so far everything has been positive," said Manuel Altuzar. "They've been very helpful, and they've treated us with respect. Our first language is Spanish, and we were able to file our claim over the phone in Spanish."

Moore, who is staying in a Reedsburg hotel, said she's trying to access all of the help available to her. She'd like to get enough aid to get her life back on track. "I'm giving it all I got," she said.