Oklahoma Damage Assessment Hotline

From the State's Department of Emergency Management Web site:

STATE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT HOTLINE

In its first day of operation, the Oklahoma Damage Assessment Hotline (866) 560-7584 received 1,225 damage reports from Oklahomans impacted by the Ice Storm. Due to extremely high call volumes many callers experienced a busy signal. Oklahomans are reminded there is plenty of time to report their damage. The hotline is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week and will remain open for at least the next 10 days. Residents and business owners who have uninsured Ice Storm damages are urged to call the toll-free number.

Approximately 80 percent of today’s calls were from Oklahoma County residents; 14 percent were from the Tulsa area; and 6 percent were from other city/county areas along the I-44 corridor. Most callers reported downed trees and power lines and many need assistance with debris removal. Most also reported food losses, many of which spent their resources stock-piling for the Ice Storm and have subsequently lost it because of the power outages.

The hotline is needed to help identify and document the need for federal Individual Assistance. Callers are asked to provide their name, address of the damaged property and the type of damage their property sustained. They are also asked if they sustained financial loss because their business or place of employment was closed due to the storm.

The hotline is needed to gather damage information that, in turn, will strengthen the state’s application for federal disaster assistance for individuals and business owners. The damage reports will identify where damage assessment teams need to check in an effort to build the case that many Oklahomans need disaster assistance.

Additionally, joint teams of FEMA, state and local officials continue their assessment of infrastructure damage in the areas hardest hit by the Ice Storm. The preliminary damage assessments are needed to support a request for federal Public Assistance for cities, towns and counties. The teams are looking at roads, bridges and public facilities damaged by the storm, as well as the costs associated with debris removal.