FEMA boots on Ohio County ground assessing flood damage – WV MetroNews

OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. — FEMA representatives are in Ohio County a little over a week after devastating flash flooding hit the Wheeling area.

Governor Patrick Morrisey formally requested President Donald Trump declare a major disaster in both Ohio and Marion Counties following the floods, which would provide Individual Assistance and Public Assistance to affected residents and counties.

According to the Ohio County Emergency Management Agency, over 870 damage surveys have been completed in affected communities such as Triadelphia, Valley Grove and Elm Grove.

The Ohio County EMA held a news conference Monday afternoon giving an update on the recovery process, but before anything else was addressed, Ohio County Sheriff Nelson Croft said that crews are still looking for the potential 9th victim, Sandra Kay Parsons, 83.

“While we’re praying for a miracle, we kind of know the probable outcome,” Croft said. “The family needs closure, and if anyone can help and search in the creek banks, I would appreciate that.”

Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Director Lou Vargo says finding Parsons is still the top priority.

“I can assure you that we are not stopping our efforts. We’re not going to rest until we get closure to that family,” Vargo said.

Croft advised residents willing to look in creeks to wear a reflective vest, so property owners don’t mistake them for looters of scrap metals. Croft announced last week that the county had been dealing with looters in storage units and abandoned homes near the flood zone.

He says Ohio County residents have had enough of crooks profiting from their tragedy.

“Please don’t loot,” Croft said. “If you do loot and you get caught, pray it’s one of my deputies and not the public because you’re not going to be handled well by the public losing their stuff, and I can’t blame them.”

Assistant Emergency Management Director Tony Campbell spoke during the update on what FEMA is doing. He explained that reps are conducting preliminary damage assessments for those who filled out a damage survey.

“It’s okay that everybody had their surveys done, but they actually have to see it,” Campbell said. “They’ll be coming to the houses. They want to walk inside your house and see how much damage there is.”

“When they (the residents) do these assessments, they have different divisions on there like destroyed or extensive damage or moderate damage or minimal damage. In their mind, they have that certain aspect for the damages done, but sometimes they’re not right.

Campbell also says small businesses that took on damage are starting to get help.

“There’s a lot of businesses in Valley Grove and Triadelphia — mom and pop businesses — that have been greatly affected by this. The SBA is here and they’re going to assist them with finances,” Campbell said.

Once FEMA conducts their preliminary damage assessments, the next step will be waiting for President Trump to declare a federal disaster.

“If the declaration is declared, that’s when they’ll send out larger teams,” Campbell said. “They’ll have you come to an area where you fill out your applications, get pictures from you if you have them and they haven’t seen them already, or if they need to go to your site, they will go to your site.”

Triadelphia Volunteer Fire Department David Patterson also spoke during Monday’s news conference. He says his community has dusted itself off and got to work.

“If you drive through the community today and you knew anything about what happened here, it has tremendously been cleaned up and it’s 100% coming along,” Patterson said. “With a meeting with the (National) Guard, they’re saying what we’ve done in three days, they would’ve been three weeks without the help of this community.”

“This community has come together. My town is devastated,” Patterson said while fighting back tears. “They’ve come together to bring it together and it’s coming along.”