Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said Aug. 19 that representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, would visit the county soon, the latest step in a process that state and local leaders hope will unlock federal assistance for communities, including Wauwatosa, affected by the Aug. 9 and 10 storms and flooding.
The disaster caused an estimated $9 million in damage to city-owned public infrastructure in Wauwatosa, and more than 500 homes and 50 businesses in the city were affected, according to an Aug. 15 update from the City of Wauwatosa.
Last week, Gov. Tony Evers made an official request to FEMA to assist with preliminary damage assessments in Wisconsin, saying in an Aug. 13 news release that "initial state and local damage review suggests Wisconsin will meet the federal threshold to receive federal aid and assistance."
Federal aid is not yet available to residents or business owners, but that could change if the president declares the region a disaster area that is eligible for individual assistance. Further information on that process is available here.
"The damage caused by recent extreme weather is extensive, and it’s going to take significant time and resources to recover, repair infrastructure, and help support the folks and communities who have been affected," Evers said in his news release. "It’s clear we will need additional federal resources and support to do so."
The following day, Aug. 14, he joined Crowley in talking with residents in flood-affected neighborhoods in Milwaukee and Butler. Evers also had visited Wauwatosa on Aug. 11, the same day he issued a state-level emergency declaration for the region.
Crowley's administration has helped to coordinate relief and recovery efforts locally through the Milwaukee County Office of Emergency Management. It is providing updates and connecting people with resources through its website.
Crowley did not specify when FEMA representatives will visit the county, though once they arrive, "they will visit communities to verify damage, focusing on key geographic areas." He also advised residents that anyone from FEMA should identify themselves and be able to provide official credentials. Residents can report suspected fraud by emailing StgopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov or calling 866-223-0814.
"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," Crowley said.
Over the weekend, city and county garbage crews were spotted going street to street picking up flood-damaged possessions piled high on curbs, from East Tosa to the northwest neighborhoods along the Menomonee River that was hit hard when the river overflowed its banks.
On Aug. 16, a small fleet of dump trucks and loading machines filled their claws, buckets and cargo holds with ton after ton of river-soaked refuse along a two-block stretch of the Menomonee River Parkway north of Burleigh Street.
At the corner of Concordia Avenue, Barry and Lindy Spencer were grateful for the help they were receiving from a Christian relief organization in the cleanup of their ranch-style house. Their basement had flooded on Aug. 10, along with their garage, and everything from both spaces had to be hauled out to the curb. Two vehicles also were damaged beyond repair.
With the sounds of heavy machinery rattling up and down the street, Spencer said hello to a neighbor walking across his yard and remarked at how the neighbor's pile of disposed items had already been cleared.
"You can see your yard!" Spencer observed.
The Spencers did not have flood insurance, and the damage is not covered by their home insurance policy, a scenario similar to the challenges facing other neighbors on the street. The Spencers said they will need to move forward, regardless, with replacing electrical systems, washer and dryer, hot-water heater, other appliances and the sections of drywall that had to be removed because of floodwater infiltration.
The floodwaters came up to their front door but did not cause extensive damage to their first-floor living space. "The jury is still out on whether we have to pull the floors out, the wood floors," Spencer told Tosa Forward News. "We're still working through that."
In the meantime, they were staying with relatives in Butler, until they are able to move back into their own home.
Get additional Tosa Forward News coverage of the 2025 flood here.
