Severe Weather Business Assistance Notifications (7/11/2023)
- Severe Rain and Flooding Event Memorandum from ACCD
- Business Disaster Recovery Information from VtSBDC
Severe Rain and Flooding Event Memorandum from ACCD
TO: Vermont’s Economic and Community Development, Housing, and Tourism Community
FROM: Lindsay H. Kurrle, Secretary, Agency of Commerce and Community Development
RE: Severe Rain and Flooding Event
DATE: July 10, 2023
As you likely have heard by now, Governor Phil Scott has declared a State of Emergency in Vermont due to severe rainfall and flooding across the state. Significant rainfall is expected to continue into the evening hours and widespread flooding is expected to follow. The State Emergency Operations Center has been activated, and emergency management officials are working around the clock to deploy resources and support to local communities damaged by the flooding.
First and foremost, if you are currently in a situation that needs immediate support, please reach out to https://vermont211.org/ as that is the most direct way to reach state emergency management officials. Please continue to encourage businesses and individuals in your regions to use Vermont 211 as a first point of contact, and as always, report any emergencies to 9-1-1.
The Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) is engaged in the response to this storm and supporting emergency officials as needed to keep communities and Vermonters safe. ACCD realizes this storm has impacted many communities in a multitude of ways, with flooding damaging homes and businesses in addition to critical infrastructure. Right now, the most important thing you can do is stay safe until the storm passes and the waters recede.
State Emergency Management officials will be working with FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration on a disaster declaration which will allow for federal assistance in repairing damage from this storm. As the State shifts from emergency first response to economic and community recovery, ACCD will continue to keep our partners informed and support recovery efforts statewide. In the days ahead, and when safe to do so, it will be important to document any damage and estimate the cost of damage which will be used to help the state’s disaster declaration criteria. Again, as we have more information on that process, ACCD will share and engage just as soon as we can.
There is more to come, but for now – please stay safe and please know emergency responders are working hard to respond to this statewide weather event. Thank you for your efforts on the ground to support your local communities.
Lindsay Kurrle, Secretary
Agency of Commerce and Community Development
Business Disaster Recovery Information from VtSBDC
We hope this message finds you safe. In light of recent flooding throughout the state, we want to let you know that GMEDC and the VtSBDC are poised to provide you and your business with support.
VtSBDC’s experience with Tropical Storm Irene and its aftermath led them to identify and share the first steps that you should take if you have a flood event at your business:
- Clearly your safety and the safety of your staff is most important. If you do not have a phone/email/chat tree to keep your staff in touch, create one today.
- As much as you want to go in and check on the situation, do not enter your location if there is flooding. But do take many pictures from a safe distance.
- Call your local insurance agent. Do exactly as they direct.
- Begin DOCUMENTATION related to step #2:
- Take pictures of everything you do from this point forward.
- Keep a running narrative of every action you take.
- Begin to estimate the cost of the damage (this becomes critical if the state is required to collect enough financial impact to get a Federal Disaster Declaration. If that becomes necessary, we will be giving you instructions on how to share your information with the state).
- Also make sure to keep all of your financial data up to date and backed up.
- The state is also providing updated information at these two sites:
- https://vem.vermont.gov/news/flood_9.9.23
- https://vem.vermont.gov/preparedness
- Stay in touch with us to ask questions so we can help direct you to accurate and timely information.
Very importantly, try to pause and not take any other steps until the danger has passed, and we can help determine the next steps. During Tropical Storm Irene, we saw some actions that were taken too quickly, causing more harm in the long run. So please pause and remember that along with our state and community partners, we are here to help.
We are in touch with federal and state agencies and will keep you updated as the flooding impacts Vermont. We will share accurate, timely, actionable information during and after this flood event.
Stay Safe.
Photography by Jeff Lewis
The work of Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation is made possible in part by a grant from the State of Vermont through the Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
