Impacted by flooding in Whatcom County? Here’s how to get help locally

After an atmospheric river-fueled storm system swept through Western Washington last week, local residents are dealing with the devastation left behind.

Heavy rains and gusty winds hit the Bellingham area hard, flooding local streets, causing power outages, damaging major roads and indefinitely closing Little Squalicum Pier.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson visited Whatcom County on Wednesday, Dec. 18, to survey the flood damage and meet with local leaders.

“This natural disaster is extremely significant,” Ferguson said during a news conference at Whatcom County Emergency Management headquarters in Bellingham. “It’s historic in nature, and we are treating it as such.”

If you’re wondering where to find help, here are some local, state and federal resources:

Find an American Red Cross shelter

The American Red Cross and its partners are “mobilized across Washington to bring urgent relief to people affected by catastrophic flooding,“ the organization said on its website.

The Red Cross Northwest Region recently opened emergency evacuation shelters across several Washington counties — including one at the Nooksack Community Center, 2515 Sulwhanon Drive in Everson, according to its website.

Within those shelters, volunteers provide first aid, give emotional support and meet with families to assess damage.

Use the Red Cross’s interactive map to find open shelters and disaster relief services near you.

Can I get cash to pay for utilities? Clothing?

Whatcom County residents affected by flooding can get money to pay for utilities, clothing and more through the state Disaster Cash Assistance Program.

“The program is available to families or individuals without children who face an emergency and don’t have the money to meet their basic needs,” the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services said on its website

To qualify for help, you must be a Washington resident in financial need who lives in an area that’s been declared a disaster and is unable to return home due to the disaster.

If you lost food bought with state benefits due to flooding or a power outage, you can file a claim with the state Social and Health Services Department to replace those benefits.

Can I get disaster assistance for my Washington farm or ranch?

The Washington Conservation Committee’s Disaster Assistance Program provides grants to farmers and ranchers to help them recover from flooding and other natural disasters.

Founded in 2022, the program provides short-term financial assistance for farmers and ranchers “sustaining physical damage or incurring expenses as a result of a natural disaster,” the committee said on its website.

That might mean partially reimbursing eligible disaster recovery expenses or helping property owners implement best management practices to make them more resilient to disaster.

You can apply for disaster recovery assistance online.

How to get help with flood recovery

The Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group works to “provide coordination and recovery services to individuals, families and entities adversely impacted by disaster in Whatcom County,” according to its website.

The group is helping local residents who “need help cleaning, restoring or refurnishing lost items” do to recent flooding.

The Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group will provide intake services for flood-affected residents from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Sunday, Dec. 21, at the following locations:

• Station 81 Fire Hall, 101 East Main St. in Everson
• Sumas Advent Christian Church, 125 Front St. in Sumas

You can also fill out a form online to request help.

The group is currently seeking donations as well as volunteers to organize donations, restore homes, deliver food and other roles.

Donate to flood relief and recovery in Whatcom County

The Whatcom Community Foundation is raising money for flood relief and recovery efforts in Whatcom County via the Resilience Fund.

Described as “our community’s rainy-day fund,” the Resilience Fund “gives emergency assistance — such as money, food, or shelter — to our neighbors in need as fast as possible during a crisis,” the Whatcom Community Foundation said.

The community foundation noted that money from the Resilience Fund aren’t provided directly to individuals.

Instead, the group working with local nonprofit groups, churches, and community organizations to ensure these funds reach the people who need them.

What should I do if my home was flooded?

Property owners affected by flooding should only return home “when told it is safe to do so, as the remaining standing water may have unseen dangers,” according to Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer.

“Many property owners are discovering significant damage upon returning home,” Kuderer wrote in a Monday, Dec. 15, letter.

After returning home, she said, property owners should follow these steps:

• Contact your insurance company and ask when they will be available to inspect your property.
• When safe, take photos of the property to document the damage.
• Submit the photos to your insurer.
• After taking photos, remove damaged property from your home to reduce the spread of mold.
• Keep small samples of damaged materials you are discarding for the insurance adjuster to inspect.
• When your insurer contacts you, make your property immediately available for inspection.

“Mold is a significant health concern and likely begin to grow within days,” Kuderer said, adding that she expects “all property insurers to quickly arrange to inspect insured, flood-damaged properties as soon as those locations are opened by emergency management authorities.”

How to file a flood insurance claim

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, you should take these steps when filing a flood insurance claim:

• Contact your insurance or agent to report your flood damage.
• Be prepared to give the name of your insurance company, your policy number and contact information.
• Ensure your home is safe for re-entry, take photos of damage and contact repair services if possible.

Once insurance adjusters work with homeowners on “what and how to present information to the insurance company,” FEMA said.

Clean up, disposal and mold damage is the owner’s responsibility, the federal agency said.

Premara Blue Cross, Salvation Army donate funds

Large organizations are also doing their part to help communities in Whatcom County.

Health care company Premera Blue Cross is “supporting the community and its members who are dealing with evacuations from flooding,” according to Amanda Lansford, external communications manager at Premera Blue Cross.

The company donated $25,000 to the America Red Cross to support flood victims, Lansford told The Bellingham Herald via email.

The Salvation Army is using monetary donations to send first responders to areas affected by the disaster,

“As a long-standing service partner in the region, The Salvation Army will continue to meet the need during this time,” Lieutenant Colonel Cindy Foley, divisional commander of The Salvation Army’s Northwest Division, said in a news release. “Additional emergency disaster teams are ready to deploy and assist communities as they are needed in the days ahead and as it is safe to do so.”

You can donate money online or send cash or checks to 111 Queen Anne Ave North, Unit 300, Seattle, WA, 9810