Natural Disaster Aftermath: TDEM’s ISTAT Survey to Assess East Texas Damage

From floods in the counties of Polk and Cherokee to an EF1 tornado crashing Trinity County Sunday night, there are East Texas homeowners who lost a lot this week.

Residents who have been impacted by these natural disasters are being urged by the Texas Department of Emergency Management to report any damage to their private property, commercial establishments, or agricultural land to their Individuals State of Texas Assessment Tool, also known as the ISTAT survey.

The purpose of this poll was communicated by Wes Rapaport, who is the Director of Media and Communications for TDEM.

“It will help us determine eligibility for various forms of disaster assistance from the federal government, as well as just the extent of the damage,” said Rapaport. “It will also help us determine the big picture.” They will have to deal with a greater amount of damage input as the number of applications they receive increases.

According to what he stated, “You enter your information, take a couple of photos, and provide as much detail as you can about, you know, the location where this has occurred, the extent to which this damage has occurred, and what kind of damage is it.”

Depending on the eligibility, Rapaport said support could come in several forms.

“There are some instances in which it may appear to be loans, or you know, for… for homes or businesses.” Nevertheless, TDEM strongly recommends that homeowners who have experienced damage continue to file claims through their insurance companies.

In his statement, Rapaport stated that “this is not a substitute for contacting your insurance company and moving forward in that manner.” And for residents with flooding damage, State Farm Insurance Agent, Tim Jones adds this:

“If it’s not covered because it’s a standing water claim of flooding, you can contact FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and see what assistance sometimes you get on the low-interest loan.”

If you have storm damage you need to report, you can visit the TDEM’s iSTAT survey here.