PEMA’S Public Damage Assessment Link

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) has launched a Public Damage Assessment Link (below) for area residents and businesses to report the damage done to their properties in the affected municipalities by the September 9 storm. 

PEMA and Lackawanna County 911 and EMA officials stress the reporting link is not an application for assistance nor a guarantee of assistance. 

It is a step in the State’s process to alert Commonwealth and local officials where to go for damage assessment. 

The link will be open from today (September 13) through Sunday, September 24. 

 The link of Public Damage Assessment is link https://damage-assessment-3-pema.hub.arcgis.com

After clicking on the link, residents must then look for the incident name/title from the drop-down box 09/09/2023 Northeast PA Flooding Public Report. 

This is the only location where the information can be submitted and accepted. It vitally important to fill out the assessment to help State and local officials gauge the damage and then plan the recovery effort.

County staff will be available at the Multi Agency Resource Center (MARC) to assist residents and business owners in filling out the assessment if they are experiencing difficulties in navigating the form.        

It is also very important that all residents and business owners document all of the damage to their property via written copy and photos.  Everyone should also keep track of the expenses and hold onto all receipts involved in the cleanup and recovery of their properties. 

Next Steps For Those Impacted By The September 9th Storm

Lackawanna County’s Emergency Management and 911 agencies are working with PEMA and State officials on the next steps needed to provide information to the residents and businesses affected by the Weather Event that occurred on September 9th.    

Lackawanna County EMA and 911 are also collaborating with PEMA and State officials on setting-up a Multi Agency Resource Center (MARC) where impacted residents and businesses can obtain information on available programs, learn what the next steps would be for their repair and cleanup work, and connect with resources and personnel that can help. The proposed dates for the MARC would be September 21, 22, and 23, with a location to be determined.

Over the next several weeks, State and local officials will be out assessing damages for the purpose of meeting State and Federal guidelines for Emergency Declarations.

The Lackawanna County Commissioners, Lackawanna County Emergency Management, and 911 stress once again that all residents and business owners must document all the damage to their property via written copy and photos. Everyone should also keep track of the expenses (receipts) involved in the cleanup and recovery of their properties in case individual assistance becomes available in the future. 

Residents and business owners should check the County’s website, social media, and the news for updates on the storm recovery initiatives.