The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) applied to Emergency Management BC (EMBC) for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) for ‘overland flooding’ in response to the flooding in early March.

The province has approved Disaster Financial Assistance for the Regional District of East Kootenay (Electoral Areas A, B, C, E), City of Kimberley, City of Cranbrook, Village of Canal Flats, City of Fernie, and St. Mary’s Band for qualified residents and property owners who were unable to obtain insurance to cover flood-related losses.

Full-time residents/home owners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local government bodies, can fill out claim forms and submit them for a portion of the cleanup costs related to the flooding that are not covered by insurance.

The DFA program is provincial (not RDEK) and is only available to full-time residents (not seasonal). Applications for Disaster Financial Assistance are on EMBC’s web site at http://embc.gov.bc.ca/em/dfa_claims/dfa.html

Steps:

1. Get a letter of claim denial from your insurance company.

2. Download the DFA Program Guidelines and Application Form (links below). Copies are also available at the RDEK offices in Cranbrook and the Columbia Valley.

3. Document everything you possibly can related to your flooding. If you took photos, provide as many as you can. If you did not take photos during the flooding, but still can see evidence of the damage (ie/ high water marks on drywall), take photos now.

4. Keep receipts for any and all clean-up costs related to the flooding and resulting damage / repairs. If you did not keep receipts, see if you can go back and get copies. You will need receipts to be reimbursed.

5. Submit your application to EMBC. Once they have received your application, they will contact you and make arrangements for an on-site visit with one of their evaluators. This is a Provincial program and you will work directly with them.

IMPORTANT

· The deadline date for EMBC to receive DFA application forms is July 2; however, you can submit the forms anytime.

· When filling out the forms, it asks for the date of damage. Make sure you indicate a date between March 4-11, as this is the timeframe DFA has been approved for. If you don’t put these dates down, your claim will be refused.

· This is a provincial assistance program, and will only cover a portion of costs for approved claims.

·  It is totally separate from the RDEK, so if you have questions about the program contact EMBC at 1-888-257-4777 or dfa.gov.bc.ca.

Other tips

· If your septic field was compromised by flooding, you will need to have it inspected by a qualified sewage practitioner.  There is a cost for this service. Keep receipts as this may be a claimable expense through DFA.

· Document everything you possibly can related to your flooding. If you took photos, provide as many as you can. If you did not take photos during the flooding, but still can see evidence of the damage (ie/ high water marks on drywall), take photos now.

· Keep receipts for any and all clean-up costs related to the flooding and resulting damage / repairs. If you did not keep receipts, see if you can go back and get copies. You will need receipts to be reimbursed.

Disaster Financial Assistance guidelines and forms

· The Disaster Financial Assistance Program Guidelines (Available on EMBC’s web site at http://embc.gov.bc.ca/em/dfa_claims/PrivateSectorGuidelines.pdf )

· The Disaster Financial Assistance Program Application Form  (Available on EMBC’s web site at http://embc.gov.bc.ca/em/dfa_claims/dfa.html )

Lead image: March flooding at Wasa. By Krista Nebloch

RDEK

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