COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – Following Tropical Storm Debby earlier this week, Columbia County resident Julie Mandy was left with damage around her property including to the fencing and the ground in her yard.
“It leaves me having to figure out how to pay for all of this and get it fixed,” she said.
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Her yard and the roads nearby are a sign of what Columbia County as a whole looks like after the area was hit with heavy rain from Debby.
Lower Springs Road is at the end of her driveway, and parts of it look like a cliff from where the road washed out.
“We are coming around. We’ve made a lot of progress since the hurricane came through earlier this week,” said Shayne Morgan, Director of Emergency Management in Columbia County. He said they are still checking roads and damage in the county.
Right now he said the cost of the damage done is racking up.
“We’re probably between five and $600,000 easily, with that number continuing to climb,” Morgan said.
While the county is counting the costs he says homeowners need to report damage done to their property. Here are the steps recommended:
1. Contact your agent immediately
2. Carefully document your losses
3. Protect your property from further damage
4. Work with your adjustor
5. Settle your claim
6. Repair your home
He also said to be aware of scammers coming to make repair promises that look and sound too good to be true.
“You always want to see the agreement. Be leery. If they ask for cash up front, chances are they’re trying to rip you off,” he said.
Just as important, Morgan said to report home damage to the county’s citizens information center at 386-719-7530.
Whether you have insurance or not it could help you get some money and repairs to damage on your property from FEMA or other organizations.
“It may be a case where we get enough damage reported in that we’re able to go to a long-term recovery process and see about getting some assistance for not renovations, but for repairs to be made on the appropriate home that we’re talking about,” Morgan said.