The city is asking neighbours to check on neighbours to make sure everyone is getting the help they need.
Despite a general number to call and three Red Cross registration centres in the city, officials are still being asked where they can get help to deal with flooded homes. Mayor Keith Hobbs said at least three people have asked him since Tuesday.
“Everyone get out there. Check on your neighbour, knock on their door, see if they’re OK,” Hobbs said Wednesday morning. “We want to make sure no one’s left behind.”
Around 900 people have registered for help with the Red Cross, which opened another centre at the Moose Hall to handle the intake. Spokesman David St. Georges said the centre at St. Peter’s Catholic Church handled 118 people alone.
“One person may have a desperate need for food while another person may have a desperate need for clothing so we will work with those needs and the resources in the community to ensure they get those specific needs catered to them,” he said.
As for the city’s request for help to get the province to declare Thunder Bay a disaster area, the assessment team has now finished up, leaving officials to play the waiting game.
“We need this declaration made sooner than later. Goderich was done in one day and we’re on day nine here now so it’s time,” Hobbs said.
Once the declaration is made, the city is eligible to get two to one funding from the province through the disaster relief fund it has set up to help those with no or inadequate insurance.
Commisso cautioned that even if the money becomes available, it will take time to get claims paid.
Goderich, which was hit by a tornado last August, is only now starting to process the claims.
“We are waiting we hope to do that as soon as we can,” he said. “There are no claim forms for that fund right now but we’re working towards that.”
Clean up crews continue to help people with flooded homes but while the initial effort was done through volunteer contractors, the need has become so great that the city has had to hire companies to meet the demand.
Those costs could also eventually be covered by the relief fund.
The city is hoping to hear from the province about its decision by the end of the week.
