You may count yourself lucky if your basement didn't flood during last weekend's rainstorms and flooding.
More than ten inches of rain between Aug. 9 and Aug. 10 washed out roads, caused rivers to crest nearly a foot higher than normal and caused untold amounts of damage across the Milwaukee area.
Gov. Tony Evers has declared a state of emergency following the flooding, which frees up state and local resources to respond to the disaster. If you were impacted by the recent flooding, stop what you’re doing and fill out 2-1-1 Wisconsin Damage Report form immediately: https://211wisconsin.communityos.org/damage-report
Milwaukee County and the City of Milwaukee will use this data to measure the full extent of damage, unlock potential funds from the Wisconsin Disaster Fund and create a FEMA Preliminary Damage Assessment.
Here are some clean up tips from the City of Milwaukee.
If you weren't directly impacted and you find yourself helplessly scrolling social media or worrying about your neighbors, it's time to put the worry to work.
Here are ways to help the victims of the flooding in our community:
Donate food or money to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin food pantries
Fifteen pantries operated by Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin were damaged in the flooding, causing ten pantries to close their doors, according to the organization.
In response, the food pantries are asking for monetary donations or donations of shelf-stable food to the pantries that lost supplies.
You can donate online here on the Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin website. Each dollar donated translates to $4 of food due to the food bank's bulk-buying program.
If you are able to donate food, you should bring your donations to the central Feeding America food bank located at 1700 W. Fond du Lac Avenue in Milwaukee. Not all satellite food pantries are open yet.
Here are the most-needed items following the storm, according to Feeding America:
- Shelf-stable food such as canned fruit and vegetables
- Cereal, fruit cups, applesauce
- Canned soup and shel-stable milk
- Nut butters
- Bulk products
- Household cleaning items
- Paper products like toilet paper or paper towels
- Boxes, bags, totes, and pallets
Volunteer with The Red Cross
The American Red Cross has opened shelters at Holler Park (located at 5151 S. 6th St.) and at Washington Park Senior Center (located at 4420 W. Vliet St.)
There, those in need can receive meals, water, blankets, comfort kits, charging stations and pet areas. They can also get help replacing prescription medications, eyeglasses and medical equipment that may have been left behind or lost during the flooding.
More than 90% of the Red Cross workforce is made up of volunteers. If you're able to volunteer, the organization needs shelter assistance workers, shelter caseworkers, translators, and disaster dispatchers in the Milwaukee area.
Find volunteer opportunities here on the Red Cross website.
Foster a cat or kitten from the Humane Society
Animals are often left injured or lost after floods, requiring more kennel space in local animal shelters.
The Wisconsin Humane Society has more than 1,100 cats and kittens in its care, and the organization has taken to social media to ask for foster families for animals.
Here are some guidelines to fostering:
- To become a foster parent, you must be 18 years or older and have homeowners/renters insurance and health insurance.
- You can have other pets in your home, but they must be spayed or neutered and up to date on all vaccinations. Your other pets must also be able to be physically separated from your foster animal in your home for a brief isolation period.
You can apply to be a cat or kitten foster on the Wisconsin Humane Society's website here.
This story will be updated as information becomes available.
Know of something that isn't on this list? Let WUWM reporter Katherine Kokal know at kokal@uwm.edu.
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