David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive
By County Executive Press Office
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
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.
As of Monday, August 18, Milwaukee County OEM and over 300 volunteers from partner organizations completed 3,434 individual property assessments throughout the county. Of the completed assessments, approximately 53% of the inspected properties have been categorized as “destroyed” or having “major damage.” Municipalities also continue to evaluate the impacts on public infrastructure, with preliminary damage estimates exceeding $34 million.
“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.
As a reminder, anyone coming to your home to assess damage will introduce themselves and provide official credentials. For your own safety, always verify IDs or badges before allowing anyone inside or sharing any personal information. If you are unsure or uncomfortable, keep your door closed and contact local authorities. You can also report instances of suspected fraud by emailing StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov or calling 866-223-0814. Unfortunately, scammers often take advantage of vulnerable individuals during times of crisis, so it’s important to stay vigilant.
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.
Information and resources continue to be regularly updated on Milwaukee County’s Flood Resources webpage at county.milwaukee.gov/2025FloodResources.