Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Shares Update on Flood Emergency
MILWAUKEE – This past week, emergency response personnel from the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), and municipal partners conducted damage assessments of residential homes affected by flooding across Milwaukee County.
“I joined our damage assessment teams in the community last week and spoke directly with residents affected by flooding. I’ve heard your stories, your challenges, and your calls for help. But I also heard your resilience and witnessed neighbors helping one another. That spirit of service is what defines Milwaukee,” said Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. “I’m deeply grateful to our emergency management, public health, and first responder teams for their tireless work assessing the damage throughout Milwaukee County, sharing vital information, and connecting residents to the resources they need to navigate this challenging time.”
OEM staff are working directly with WEM in preparation for the anticipated arrival of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), possibly as early as Thursday this week. FEMA’s Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA) visit is the next step in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program process.
After completing the PDA, the FEMA Regional Administrator will make a recommendation on the issuance of a Presidential disaster declaration, which would authorize federal disaster assistance. Once FEMA teams are deployed to Milwaukee, they will visit communities to verify damage, focusing on key geographic areas with properties classified as “destroyed” or “major damage.” OEM or other emergency management staff will accompany FEMA during these assessments.
To date, 2-1-1 has received over 12,000 damage reports in Milwaukee County. In some cases, it may not be necessary for officials to visit all homes that reported damage to 2-1-1. They may conduct a “drive-by” assessment to verify damage visible from the curb.
Residents with flood damage are strongly encouraged to continue reporting to 2-1-1, allowing residents to be matched with recovery services, ensuring eligibility for future financial assistance when it becomes available, and providing vital data for local response efforts. To submit a report, residents can call 2-1-1 or submit online at 211wisconsin.communityos.org/damage-report.
Affiliated organizations in Milwaukee County that want to support the community through volunteerism are encouraged to register with Crisis Cleanup, a program that dispatches small groups of volunteers to survivors who need relief. Their goal is to provide free help to those in need, ensuring a more organized and efficient cleanup process. Organizations must have a physical presence in the area, the ability to perform physical remediation tasks such as muck-outs and debris removal, and organizational capacity to provide reliable work.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the 1000 Year Storm
- MKE County: County Can’t Afford Disaster Recovery - Graham Kilmer - Oct 25th, 2025
- FEMA denial on flood damage assistance for public infrastructure is a gut punch - Milwaukee Common Council - Oct 24th, 2025
- Cruelty over compassion: Trump denies disaster aid - Wisconsin Conservation Voters - Oct 24th, 2025
- Congresswoman Gwen Moore Condemns Denial of FEMA Disaster Aid Following Historic August Flooding - U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore - Oct 24th, 2025
- FEMA Denies Government Disaster Assistance For Milwaukee Area - Graham Kilmer - Oct 24th, 2025
- Baldwin Slams Trumps Denial of FEMA Disaster Assistance for Wisconsin Communities Impacted by August Storms - U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin - Oct 24th, 2025
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley Statement on Denial of Request for FEMA Public Assistance - David Crowley - Oct 24th, 2025
- Trump Administration Denies Federal Disaster Request for Communities Impacted by August Severe Weather, Gov. Evers to Appeal Decision to Ensure Communities Get the Support they Need - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 24th, 2025
- Milwaukee Residents May Be Eligible for Mold Remediation Assistance - City of Milwaukee Office of Emergency Management - Oct 22nd, 2025
- Storm Leaves Nine Boats at the Bottom of Milwaukee’s Rivers - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 17th, 2025
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