Champlain Valley Fair, FEMA team up to help flood victims

While wandering around and checking out the Champlain Valley Fair in Essex Junction, Vermont, you may notice a booth or tent that seems to be a little out of place for a fair. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) will be providing resources and helping flood victims that are attending the fair, but may also be in the recovery process.

We talked to SBA’s Tauheedah Manteen early Wednesday morning while at the Champlain Valley Fair to see what advice she could offer for small businesses that are in recovery mode. Tauheedah also discussed the situation for folks that have yet to start the recovery process. If you’re in that boat, the first step is to link up with your insurance. Manteen mentions, ” ” Tauheedah stressed the importance of not waiting until the last minute to submit claims. She said that one of the biggest problems she has seen are people getting overwhelmed, not knowing where to start, and then give up before they even begin to recover. FEMA and the SBA are in our state to help get you over these hurdles, frustrations, and angst about the process.

FEMA is always making their presence known in the Green Mountain State with two new disaster shelters opening up in Plainfield and Waterbury, Vermont. Phillip Shedd, a Disaster Assistance Team Specialist, wanted to emphasize about the flood event that they have been cleared to cover and help out with. He mentioned that there are still other declarations waiting to be approved but you can still feel free to ask questions about the process when visiting the disaster shelter. Phil states, “we’re here, primarily, for the flooding that happened July 9th through the 11th. We understand there was more impact after that, but as of right now, we’re for the 9th through the 11th.”

If you have not heard from FEMA yet and have been impacted by those July flood dates, keep an ear out for a knock as officials are still going door to door asking folks if they need any help. Phil says, “we’re going from door to door, trying to reach out to disproportionately impacted people. People who are uninsured, under-insured, trying to connect them with the resources. A lot of times grant money may be available to them as a result of the disaster.”

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