The City of Steinbach has received calls from some affected property owners regarding flooding in residential areas after the rainstorm this past Friday, August 29th. The City has since been contacted by the Manitoba Emergency Measures Organization (MBEMO) that, although a Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program has not been established for this particular event, affected residents can still submit applications to MBEMO for consideration should a DFA program be established.
Mayor Chris Goertzen said, “With the significant rainfall our city received on Friday, some residents have had water enter their basements. It is important for Manitoba EMO to be aware of these incidents as they determine if a Disaster Financial Assistance program should be set up for this particular incident. I encourage all citizens who experienced flooding as a result of the storm to submit an application through the link on the City’s website.”
Once MBEMO receives the claims and assesses the damages incurred, they determine whether or not a DFA program will be offered. If developed, the DFA program would apply to private sector only, including primary homes, small businesses, and farms, and would pertain to instances of overland flooding only.
“Although there is currently no Disaster Financial Assistance program set up for this incident, the submission of reports by residents affected by the storm will help determine the need for such a program,” said Denis Vassart, Steinbach’s Emergency Planning Coordinator. “Affected residents should submit their application within the next few weeks and follow the recovery process steps on the MBEMO website closely. Any photos or videos that residents have gathered should be submitted with their application as they can help MBEMO assess the damage caused by the storm.”
Although at this time there is no way to know for certain whether or not a DFA program will be established, affected residents are encouraged to fill out the application online at http://www.gov.mb.ca/emo/home/dfa/index.html , print out the form and mail it to the MBEMO Office (address is at the bottom of the form) by end of September.
More information on disaster and flood recovery is available here:
