Report storm damage to homes, businesses

By Emily Banks Wooten
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Polk County residents are encouraged to report storm damage to homes and businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) damage survey. iSTAT surveys can be filled out in English and Spanish by visiting https://damage.tdem.texas.gov/ and clicking “April 26-Ongoing Severe Weather Event.” Be sure to upload photos of interior damage to your home or business including any flood level waterlines.

Details provided through the iSTAT damage survey help emergency management officials gain an understanding of the extent of damage that has occurred. The information provided from this process also helps identify immediate resource needs. Additionally, survey information aids officials in determining whether the state meets federal requirements for various forms of disaster assistance.

Reporting damage through the iSTAT tool is a voluntary activity and is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance company. It does not guarantee disaster relief assistance. English and Spanish tutorial videos explaining how to fill out iSTAT surveys are available at https://damage.tdem.texas.gov/

Look for additional updates on the Polk County Emergency Management Facebook page (www.facebook.com/PolkCountyEmergencyManagement) and the Polk County Emergency Management website www.PolkCountyOEM.com.

“Even if you have insurance, it is so important that you complete the damage report, if not for yourself, then for your neighbor who may not have insurance,” County Judge Sydney Murphy said.

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“Photos, photos, photos! Location, location, location! Document, document, document! Make sure you have documented the damage to your home, vehicles and businesses for insurance purposes and damage reports for the Texas Division of Emergency Management,” Polk County Emergency Management Coordinator Courtney Comstock emphasized. “Please take photos of any damage prior to clean-up for documentation purposes.”

Polk County ranchers, farmers and other agriculture-related businesses and families should contact the local USDA Office at 936-327-4434 for more information or assistance. You can contact the Polk County Texas AgrilLife office at 936-327-6828 for related information as well.

The mandatory evacuation order for the low-lying unincorporated areas along the Trinity River and below the Lake Livingston Dam remains in place. Local officials and responders continue to monitor the situation and local and state resources remain staged in the county should they be needed. The Polk County Emergency Operation Center (EOC) remains activated to assist with communication and resource management.

A shelter is available at Dunbar Gym located at 1103 Dunbar Ave. in Livingston for evacuees that have no other arrangements for shelter. The American Red Cross is caring for people at the shelter.

The Polk County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) remains in contact with the Trinity River Authority (TRA) and the National Weather Service in regard to forecasted rainfall and river flooding. There are no failures or problems at the Lake Livingston Dam. The dam is operating under normal operating procedures at this time. Discharge from the dam Tuesday afternoon was 102,153 cubic feet per second (cfs).

Polk County non-profits, Polk County Recovers and Polk County Center of Hope are providing recovery resources to the residents of Polk County impacted by the severe weather and flooding. Polk County Recovers, the county’s long-term recovery organization, is available at 933-933-2735 to assist residents with their iSTAT damage reports and clean-up assistance requests. Polk County Center of Hope is located at 600 S. Washington in Livingston and has extended their operating hours to 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to distribute food, water, clothing and flood clean-up kits.

Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort Inc. brought a truck of supplies Wednesday, including boxes of non-perishable food, water, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene items among other things. These items are being distributed in the parking lot of the Livingston Church of Christ at 1107 W. Church St. in Livingston.