WAUKESHA, Wis. — President Donald Trump's social media announcement promising federal aid for southeast Wisconsin is bringing hope to flood victims who have been waiting months for financial assistance. Trump posted that $29.8 million in federal financial assistance will be released for the region, offering relief to homeowners facing financially devastating damage from recent flooding.
At a multi-agency resource fair in Waukesha County, flood victims shared their ongoing struggles with extensive property damage and mounting repair costs.
Watch: Flood victims waiting for FEMA aid say they need financial assistance
"Apparently, a sewer pipe collapsed and caused severe water damage, of course," said Ken Zettelmeier, a Waukesha flood victim.
Frank Smith from Menomonee Falls described getting 10 inches of water in his basement when his sewer backed up.
Terry Crawford from Greenfield faced even more catastrophic damage.
"I went into the basement. I couldn't believe what I could see. I looked to the wall, I could see the sky. The whole basement had collapsed in," Crawford said.
His family set up a GoFundMe to help him rebuild his partially collapsed home.
The resource fair was the fourth multi-agency center established in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, designed to connect flood victims with available assistance in one location. While many attendees found resources for cleanup, food and housing assistance, their primary need remains financial support.
"I'm kind of waiting on the thing from FEMA too to see what is going to happen with them," Smith said.
Alex Freeman, the coordinator of the Waukesha County Emergency Management office, explained the next steps once Trump's announcement becomes official.
"The next steps would be FEMA returning to Waukesha County and the other impacted counties that are included, and they will stand up what is called a disaster recovery center," Freeman said.
Freeman advised flood victims that there's no need to contact 211 or local officials to apply for aid, but they should continue documenting their losses.
"What is going to be most important for folk is save your receipts. Maintain documentation — before and after photos of the damage. That is going to be crucial. Any information from your insurer. If you submitted a claim and you have been denied or if you have been approved, you are going to want to maintain that documentation as well," Freeman said.
The individual disaster aid remains pending official approval in the FEMA declaration.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
