County Asking For Citizens To Help With Push For Federal Flood Aid

OEM Director Cassandra Libal, County Executive David Crowley and Health Policy Advisor Ben Weston. Photo taken Aug. 14, 2025 by Graham Kilmer.

Milwaukee County emergency responders are still assessing the level of flood damage across the county as they seek federal disaster relief.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley held a press conference Thursday morning to encourage residents to report damage to the county’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to assist the agency as it prepares an estimate of storm damage for the state of Wisconsin and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Residents can call 2-1-1 to provide a report.

State and federal disaster relief will be critical to rebuilding and recovering in the wake of the devastating 1,000 year rain event that caused flooding and damage across southeastern Wisconsin, Crowley said

The county executive declared a state of emergency Sunday. Gov. Tony Evers submitted a formal request to FEMA Wednesday asking the agency to help the state conduct a damage assessment. The governor’s declaration opens the door to future federal disaster relief funding, Crowley said.

In the meantime, the county is encouraging residents to report damage to help officials develop an estimate of damage to private property by calling 211. Additionally, OEM has set up an online portal for residents to submit damage reports.

“So, to accurately prove the extent of this damage, we need everyone, everyone in this community who has been impacted, to make reports so we can compile the data in order to help impacted folks long term,” Crowley said. “I am pleading to the community to report their damage as soon as possible.”

More than 150 members of the county’s disaster response team are criss-crossing the county assessing damage reports in person, said OEM Director Cassandra Libal. More than 2,400 damage assessments have been conducted so far. The agency is working to finish its initial damage assessment by the end of the week so an estimate can be provided to Wisconsin Emergency Management.

OEM is refocusing its resources from responding to the floods to community recovery, Libal said. She asked for patience from residents who have submitted damage reports but have not yet been contacted by staff. “We will continue to be out in the field making those assessments,” she said. 

These initial assessments should provide government officials with an “accurate picture of the damage,” Libal said. “However, the true extent of the damage will reveal itself over time.”

The damage assessment is the first step for securing a presidential disaster declaration and eventually federal disaster aid. The county is trying to collect enough data to prove that it meets FEMA’s threshold for disaster relief. If federal disaster aid is eventually provided, a process for providing assistance directly to individuals will be developed, Libal said.

So far, the county estimates that more than $23 million worth of public infrastructure has been damaged, including bridges, parks, trails, roads and waterways, according to Libal.

“Please give us patience, and this is going to take time to get through these recovery efforts. This is an ongoing, evolving situation,” Crowley said. “So we’re not going to be going back to normal tomorrow, probably not anytime soon.”

The county has created a webpage with a list of resources for people who are dealing with flood damage, displaced from their homes or interested in helping with relief and recovery efforts. Housing outreach teams have been working to relocate persons experiencing street homelessness who were affected by the floods, Crowley said.

Floodwater Poses Safety Risk

Dr. Ben Weston, chief health policy advisor for Milwaukee County, is urging residents to take precautions when dealing with floodwater.

Floodwater can obscure dangerous wreckage underneath its surface, like sharp debris, broken glass and electrical current, Weston said. The water itself often contains sewage and chemical runoff, which can cause mold and worsen health conditions.

“That’s why we say floodwater is never just water, it’s a health hazard that must be treated with caution,” Weston said. 

Avoid floodwater wherever possible. But if you have to come in contact with it, or items that were submerged in the floods, wear heavy gloves and waterproof boots. If handling debris indoors, wear a mask. Any wiring, electrical outlets or appliances that were submerged or that came in contact with flooding should not be used until they have been inspected and certified as safe to use, he said.

Update: A previous version of the story said the $23 million in damage was an estimate for county-owned infrastructure. The estimate is inclusive of all public infrastructure in the county.