Flood information for Carroll County citizens

 Flood information for Carroll County citizens

 

Comet staff report

 

Carroll County Emergency Management Director Dave McDowell reminds citizens of Carroll County of the following concerning the recent flood:

• River levels are expected to continue to fall unless more rainfall covers the watershed area.

• Those who experienced flooding in the last week should get a tetanus shot which are free to flood victims and workers. Shots are available at the health office in the courthouse Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call ahead at (765) 564-3420 to make sure the nurse is available.

• Nurse Kinzer will offer shots March 21 to people working in flooded areas. Those who received a tetanus shot last year will not need another one this year.

• Residents are advised to drink bottled or boiled water until wells are tested. To test the water pour one gallon of bleach down the well, run all water-affected appliances such as sinks, bathtub and washing machines until the smell of bleach is in that source. After the smell is detected, turn off the appliance and wait 24 hours. Collect samples in sealed bottles which are available at Godlove Enterprise Inc, 933 W. Hanawalt in Monticello and return to the store. The water test will cost $4.00.

• State officials are compiling lists of flood damages and dollar amounts and may ask for a Presidential Declaration of Disaster when a final amount is known. The process could take two weeks or more and if a declaration is made, FEMA will arrive in another two weeks to begin the process of screening eligible applicants.

• Residents who want to rebuild in the flood zone should first contact their insurance agent and not wait for FEMA aid to begin the recovery process.

• Residents are strongly urged to raise their homes regardless of insurance coverage. For a non-governmental source for help with this service contact Disaster Assistance Network of Indiana (DANI) at (877) 773-0249 or go online to daniflood.org.

Procedures on rebuilding in a flood zone are as follows:

• Step 1 – contact the Carroll County Assessor’s Office in the courthouse at (765) 564-3444 for a copy of a pre-flood assessment of the home.

If the estimated cost of repair is less than 50 percent of the assessed value of just the living structure, obtain a building permit from the Area Plan Commissioner Kathy Mylet on the second floor of the courthouse or call (765) 564-468.

If the estimated cost of repair of the home is more than 50 percent of the assessed value of just the structure, contact Mylet to see if the home is in the floodway. This is a technical description and the home’s status will be shown on a map in the Area Plan office.

If the home is in the floodway and more than 50 percent damaged, it will require a DNR review to rebuild a home to the same square footage foundation.  If a larger foundation is built it will require a DNR permit. If you keep the same footprint but add an upstairs, it is still a review situation.

DNR reviews and permits are two completely separate animals. The review is a simple process with a 24-hour turn-around time. The permit process takes more time with a public review, etc. which will take a minimum of 45 days. For faster service write “FLOOD VICTIM” at the top of the form.

• Step 2 – if no DNR action is necessary, obtain a building permit from Area Plan and proceed. No further review or permits are required.

If DNR action is necessary, contact Area Plan or DNR’s Floodplain Expert Anita Nance  at (317) 232-4160 for the proper forms.

Have a surveyor inspect the building plans and compare them with the 100-year-flood levels. All living areas must be at least two feet above this level.

Take the plans and surveyor’s statement to Area Plan and have them submitted to DNR. Upon approval go ahead and build.

Contact Area Plan to have an inspection of the new structure and a Certificate of Elevation prepared. You need to make three copies of this form one for the flood insurance agent to get the best rates, one for DNR and one for Area Plan.

Be sure the inspector fills out each box in the form, even if only to put “N/A”, not applicable, in the ones that do not apply.

• Step 3 - recognize and understand that there will be more floods! Buy a NOAA radio and carefully monitor river and weather conditions!  Get out before the floods arrive!