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MCCARES sees less demand for hurricane help
By KASSIA MICEK
With lessons learned from two previous hurricanes, local agencies are not seeing the same demand for services following Hurricane Ike.
Members of Montgomery County Community Assistance Recovery Efforts and Services, a collection of volunteer, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, discussed during a recent meeting how they were assisting residents in the aftermath of the storm, which hit the county Sept. 13.
“It’s not the big swell Katrina had with people coming in,” said David Hwa, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance executive director.
Many members attributed that to the fact the county enforced itself as a pass-through only county, unlike during Katrina and Rita when shelters opened for evacuees when they had nowhere else to go.
“I do think that’s valid because during Rita people got stuck on the freeways and were stuck here because their homes were damaged,” said Julie Martineau, MCCARES co-chair and Montgomery County United Way president.
Once Ike left the area, most of the people who did flee their homes were able to return.
The big issue now is insurance, said Henry Nielson, FEMA voluntary agency liaison for Montgomery, Harris and Liberty counties.
“There are a lot of insurance issues coming up,” he said. “There are denials all over the place because insurance policies are all over the place.”
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program is offering its expertise to help renters with landlord issues and others with civil law problems. Residents can find assistance at (713) 228-0735.
FEMA is keeping busy with Southeast Texas residents seeking assistance.
“We’re still getting well over 1,000 registrations every day,” Nielson said.
The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Nov. 12.
Montgomery County residents can file a FEMA claim at the Disaster Recovery Center inside the Central Library, located at 104 Interstate 45 in Conroe, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday. A second DRC will open today at 9909 Grogan’s Mill in The Woodlands.
While at a DRC, residents can also find disaster counseling services from Tri-County Mental Health Mental Retardation, which serves Montgomery, Liberty and Walker counties.
“Our only requirements are simply that they have been affected by the disaster and live in this area,” said Stephen Kitt, team leader.
The counseling staff also can conduct a home visit to those who may need it.
“The mental health thing will start evolving in the next couple of months as stressors begin showing,” Martineau said.
FEMA plans to complete all home inspections by the end of October, Nielson said.
To learn more about MCCARES, visit www.mc-cares.org.
More Info
A Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday at the Montgomery County Central Library, located at 104 Interstate 45 in Conroe.
A DRC will open Monday at 9909 Grogan’s Mill in The Woodlands. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Nov. 12. Apply at a DRC or visit www.fema.gov.
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program is offering its expertise to help renters with landlord issues and others with civil law problems. For more information, call (713) 228-0735.
By the numbers
Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance in Montgomery County
$6.627 million: Housing assistance
$748,548.69: Other assistance
34,000: Assistance registrations
1,819 claims: $8,000 or less home damage
57 claims: $8,000-$15,000 home damage
47 claims: $15,000-$28,000 home damage
29 claims: $28,000 or more home damage
Members of Montgomery County Community Assistance Recovery Efforts and Services, a collection of volunteer, nonprofit and faith-based organizations, discussed during a recent meeting how they were assisting residents in the aftermath of the storm, which hit the county Sept. 13.
“It’s not the big swell Katrina had with people coming in,” said David Hwa, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance executive director.
Many members attributed that to the fact the county enforced itself as a pass-through only county, unlike during Katrina and Rita when shelters opened for evacuees when they had nowhere else to go.
“I do think that’s valid because during Rita people got stuck on the freeways and were stuck here because their homes were damaged,” said Julie Martineau, MCCARES co-chair and Montgomery County United Way president.
Once Ike left the area, most of the people who did flee their homes were able to return.
The big issue now is insurance, said Henry Nielson, FEMA voluntary agency liaison for Montgomery, Harris and Liberty counties.
“There are a lot of insurance issues coming up,” he said. “There are denials all over the place because insurance policies are all over the place.”
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program is offering its expertise to help renters with landlord issues and others with civil law problems. Residents can find assistance at (713) 228-0735.
FEMA is keeping busy with Southeast Texas residents seeking assistance.
“We’re still getting well over 1,000 registrations every day,” Nielson said.
The deadline to register for FEMA assistance is Nov. 12.
Montgomery County residents can file a FEMA claim at the Disaster Recovery Center inside the Central Library, located at 104 Interstate 45 in Conroe, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday. A second DRC will open today at 9909 Grogan’s Mill in The Woodlands.
While at a DRC, residents can also find disaster counseling services from Tri-County Mental Health Mental Retardation, which serves Montgomery, Liberty and Walker counties.
“Our only requirements are simply that they have been affected by the disaster and live in this area,” said Stephen Kitt, team leader.
The counseling staff also can conduct a home visit to those who may need it.
“The mental health thing will start evolving in the next couple of months as stressors begin showing,” Martineau said.
FEMA plans to complete all home inspections by the end of October, Nielson said.
To learn more about MCCARES, visit www.mc-cares.org.
More Info
A Federal Emergency Management Agency Disaster Recovery Center is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and from 1-6 p.m. Sunday at the Montgomery County Central Library, located at 104 Interstate 45 in Conroe.
A DRC will open Monday at 9909 Grogan’s Mill in The Woodlands. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is Nov. 12. Apply at a DRC or visit www.fema.gov.
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program is offering its expertise to help renters with landlord issues and others with civil law problems. For more information, call (713) 228-0735.
By the numbers
Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance in Montgomery County
$6.627 million: Housing assistance
$748,548.69: Other assistance
34,000: Assistance registrations
1,819 claims: $8,000 or less home damage
57 claims: $8,000-$15,000 home damage
47 claims: $15,000-$28,000 home damage
29 claims: $28,000 or more home damage
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