MADISON – Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency Aug. 11 after several Wisconsin communities continue to recover from flash flooding and storms from over the weekend.
Milwaukee and other parts of Wisconsin were hit with massive volumes of rain Saturday and Sunday, leading to flash flooding, power outages and a slew of closures and cancellations. Parts of Milwaukee saw more than 10 inches of rain in less than 24 hours in what is classified as a 1,000-year flood event.
“The flooding seen across Wisconsin over the weekend is unprecedented, and as a state, we are committed to making sure communities have access to every available resource to help local folks and families in need and secure critical infrastructure,” Evers said in a statement.
Multiple fire service, law enforcement, public works, utilities, volunteer organizations and other emergency response agencies have deployed to assist the public, and additional personnel and resources from multiple state agencies are needed to expedite the response and recovery operations in the affected areas.
“We are incredibly grateful to the dedicated law enforcement, emergency response teams, and utility workers who have been working around the clock to uphold and restore critical services to impacted area residents in the wake of these events and stand ready to ensure this important work continues,” Evers said.
By declaring a state of emergency, agencies, local partners, utilities and emergency management officials can continue to mobilize respond to damage caused by recent severe weather, according to the press release.
Emergency declarations are made based on damage assessments and the request of local partners, according to the governor’s office.
A state emergency declaration is a crucial step in the process to receive assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA.
FEMA’s assistance is initiated by an official request made by a state, tribal or territorial government. FEMA does not automatically respond to every disaster, according to the agency website. Although, a state can make a formal request for federal assistance without a formal state emergency declaration.
However, making a state emergency declaration doesn’t necessarily mean FEMA will provide federal support. To receive federal aid once a state declaration is made, damage must exceed a certain threshold to qualify.
Wisconsin Emergency Management is working with counties to assess damage and determine resources needed to speed recovery efforts.
Evers is visiting several locations in Wauwatosa including Fire Station #51, Cafe Hollander and Hart Park as well as several residences on the north side of Milwaukee to see flood damage first hand, Evers’ spokeswoman Britt Cudaback told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Milwaukee County is encouraging community members to call 211 to report property damage, such as flooded basements, collapsed wall or lighting-related incidents in the county.
Anna Kleiber can be reached at akleiber@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Evers declares state of emergency in response to flooding in Wisconsin
