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Area residents take advantage of Blue Roof Program
By DIANE TEZENO
Roofs of many homes in neighborhoods suffering damage from Hurricane Ike in Fort Bend County are speckled in “blue” as many area residents take advantage of the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Operation Blue Roof program.
The program is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in counties declared disaster areas.
A Right-of-Entry Collection Center officially opened in Sugar Land on Sept. 21 at the Sugar Land Community Center, located at 226 Matlage Way, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Since that time an average 30 individuals a day have stopped by the Center to apply for the free program, according to Army Corp processors.
“We are seeing people come in who are missing a five by five portion of their roof to entire roofs missing,” said Vernica Pitcher, a processor who began working for the organization two weeks ago.
To qualify, a home must have less than 50 percent damage and be structurally sound for a crew to work on. The area to be covered also must be structurally sound for a crew to work on, per program guidelines.
Volunteer inspectors and contractors from all parts of the U.S. collaborate to help people impacted by disasters.
Inspectors assess damages and contractors place sheets of blue tarp on damaged roofs to safeguard homes from further damage until insurance companies can come out.
“Insurance companies are backed up right now and many homeowners unfortunately won’t have anyone come out to their home for two to three weeks,” said Pitcher.
Bobbie Ransome of New Jersey, a volunteer with the Corp for the last five years, assists in taking applications from residents in disaster areas.
“I drive a tractor trailer for the U.S. Army of Engineers and when any storm comes up we are sent out to the areas,” said Ransome.
“That is the beauty of the job, just helping people,” said Pitcher. “Since Texas hasn’t had a hard storm since Alisha, a lot of people that aren’t used to that type of disaster are devastated. Just to be able to uplift them and give them words of comfort is good enough.”
To apply applicants must furnish a valid drivers license and complete a ROE application to take part in the program.
“Even one shingle missing from a rooftop could expose the wood underneath and if it rains or leaks in the home, you are then dealing with interior damage,” said Pitcher.
In order to have the program’s blue tarps placed on roofs, homeowners must complete and sign a right of entry form to allow government and contractor employees on their property, according to information on FEMA’s website
Once an application is completed Blue Roof contractors have 30 days to respond, but generally a contractor is dispatched to an applicant’s home within 7 to 10 days, according to Pitcher.
The homeowner is instructed to place the pink portion of their application on a front window to approve contractors to enter the property.
Applicants who have their roofs repaired before a Corp contractor comes out to place the tarp, must place the yellow portion of their application on a front window to void the right of entry authorization.
Residents from all areas of Fort Bend County have stopped by the Center to apply for the program, but the largest number of applicants are from the Missouri City area, said Pitcher.
“Many people are finding out about the program by word of mouth because many did not have electricity in the weeks following the storm,” said Pitcher, who expects program participation to pick up.
Missouri City resident Marie Tatum, lives in Hunters Glen I and II and stopped by Sugar Land Community Center to place an application on Oct. 1.
“This is the first time I have been through a storm like this,” said Tatum.
Tatum learned about the Blue Roof Program from a flyer at her job.
Her roof, along with her fence, damaged by hurricane force winds from Ike and began leaking as a result of several broken shingles.
“I have been waiting for three weeks for my homeowner’s insurance adjuster to come out,” said Tatum.
According to Tatum, FEMA will step in once her insurance company gives a determination of what they will do.
In the meantime, the Missouri City resident is taking advantage of the Blue Roof Program to protect her home from additional damage.
The goal of the program is to provide a temporary fix to protect homes from the elements following natural disasters until homeowners can make permanent repairs with a qualified professional.
“We were without power for seven days and I thank God for the cool front,” said Tatum of the storm’s impact.
“I don’t think it was too bad, we made it through, everyone survived so I thank God.”
The program is provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in counties declared disaster areas.
A Right-of-Entry Collection Center officially opened in Sugar Land on Sept. 21 at the Sugar Land Community Center, located at 226 Matlage Way, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Since that time an average 30 individuals a day have stopped by the Center to apply for the free program, according to Army Corp processors.
“We are seeing people come in who are missing a five by five portion of their roof to entire roofs missing,” said Vernica Pitcher, a processor who began working for the organization two weeks ago.
To qualify, a home must have less than 50 percent damage and be structurally sound for a crew to work on. The area to be covered also must be structurally sound for a crew to work on, per program guidelines.
Volunteer inspectors and contractors from all parts of the U.S. collaborate to help people impacted by disasters.
Inspectors assess damages and contractors place sheets of blue tarp on damaged roofs to safeguard homes from further damage until insurance companies can come out.
“Insurance companies are backed up right now and many homeowners unfortunately won’t have anyone come out to their home for two to three weeks,” said Pitcher.
Bobbie Ransome of New Jersey, a volunteer with the Corp for the last five years, assists in taking applications from residents in disaster areas.
“I drive a tractor trailer for the U.S. Army of Engineers and when any storm comes up we are sent out to the areas,” said Ransome.
“That is the beauty of the job, just helping people,” said Pitcher. “Since Texas hasn’t had a hard storm since Alisha, a lot of people that aren’t used to that type of disaster are devastated. Just to be able to uplift them and give them words of comfort is good enough.”
To apply applicants must furnish a valid drivers license and complete a ROE application to take part in the program.
“Even one shingle missing from a rooftop could expose the wood underneath and if it rains or leaks in the home, you are then dealing with interior damage,” said Pitcher.
In order to have the program’s blue tarps placed on roofs, homeowners must complete and sign a right of entry form to allow government and contractor employees on their property, according to information on FEMA’s website
Once an application is completed Blue Roof contractors have 30 days to respond, but generally a contractor is dispatched to an applicant’s home within 7 to 10 days, according to Pitcher.
The homeowner is instructed to place the pink portion of their application on a front window to approve contractors to enter the property.
Applicants who have their roofs repaired before a Corp contractor comes out to place the tarp, must place the yellow portion of their application on a front window to void the right of entry authorization.
Residents from all areas of Fort Bend County have stopped by the Center to apply for the program, but the largest number of applicants are from the Missouri City area, said Pitcher.
“Many people are finding out about the program by word of mouth because many did not have electricity in the weeks following the storm,” said Pitcher, who expects program participation to pick up.
Missouri City resident Marie Tatum, lives in Hunters Glen I and II and stopped by Sugar Land Community Center to place an application on Oct. 1.
“This is the first time I have been through a storm like this,” said Tatum.
Tatum learned about the Blue Roof Program from a flyer at her job.
Her roof, along with her fence, damaged by hurricane force winds from Ike and began leaking as a result of several broken shingles.
“I have been waiting for three weeks for my homeowner’s insurance adjuster to come out,” said Tatum.
According to Tatum, FEMA will step in once her insurance company gives a determination of what they will do.
In the meantime, the Missouri City resident is taking advantage of the Blue Roof Program to protect her home from additional damage.
The goal of the program is to provide a temporary fix to protect homes from the elements following natural disasters until homeowners can make permanent repairs with a qualified professional.
“We were without power for seven days and I thank God for the cool front,” said Tatum of the storm’s impact.
“I don’t think it was too bad, we made it through, everyone survived so I thank God.”
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