HAZARD, Ky. (LEX 18) — Cleanup is just beginning for parts of Central Kentucky impacted by severe flooding, but in Eastern Kentucky, the recovery process has been ongoing.
For some, it's been two months. For others, it's been almost three years.
Wednesday, Kentucky Emergency Management and the U.S. Small Business Administration partnered for a disaster recovery resource fair in Hazard, one of the communities most affected by flooding in February.
From emergency FEMA funds to non-profit assistance and SBA loans, people had the chance to learn more about options available to them.
While the window is closing for such assistance in Eastern Kentucky, people in Central Kentucky are waiting for theirs to open.
“It’s very devastating. Stressful. There’s a lot of trauma involved, not knowing what your next steps are going to be,” said Brian Beard, lead public affairs specialist for the SBA's Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience.
Beard recommended people who are at a loss for where to even begin take a couple of steps:
First, contact your insurance company. Then, see if you're eligible for FEMA assistance or an SBA loan for your home or business.
The timeline for recovery after flooding can vary from months to sometimes years.
Non-profits, like the Housing Development Alliance in Eastern Kentucky, are also helping people repair or rebuild their homes after flooding.
"We had the flood in '22, which was devastating. And then we had the flood in February. Our repairs, we don’t really have a timeline—it’s about 90 something people on the waiting list, we’re getting to those people as we can," said Michael Cassell, intake specialist for the Housing Development Alliance.
The deadline to register for FEMA assistance and to apply for an SBA loan for damage sustained in the February floods is April 25.
Another disaster recovery resource fair is scheduled for Thursday in Pikeville at the Lee Avenue Branch of the Pike County Library from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.
