CARBONDALE,Ill. (WSIL) — After flash flooding damaged homes across Southern Illinois recently, many residents are looking for help. For some renters, the burden didn’t end when the water rose.

Dorothy McQueen of Carbondale had to leave her home temporarily for a carpet replacement. The cost of finding another place to stay is a challenge she can’t afford.

“Just a fixed income. Ain’t nothing else I could do,” McQueen said.

McQueen wishes help would have arrived sooner. “I’m 74 years old. Soon as that water receded, they should have came and knocked on my door and said, Miss McQueen, are you okay?” she said.

Unlike major disasters that receive a federal declaration, localized flash floods often leave residents relying on insurance, local resources or paying out of pocket. Marshell Harrington of Carbondale does have renters insurance, and she says personal help from her family made her recovery possible.

“I mean that’s sewer, water, a lot of stuff was damaged. I know with me, myself personally, close to $4,000 worth of my stuff was damaged. And I thank God for my dad and my mom because they been a big help,”Harrington said.

Harrington shared video of what the flooding looked like at her apartment and outside to get to her car. Her father offered to come get her, but she told him the whole city was flooded.

“My father even offered to come get me and I told him, I said, dad, you can’t not come down here because the whole of Carbondale is flooded,” she said.

Harrington said she reached out to assistance agencies but had not heard back yet. Both Harrington and McQueen are left wondering where to turn when they need assistance.

Officials with the Red Cross say every disaster is different. After assessing the needs, the organization may provide cleanup supplies, casework or connect families with other community resources to help them recover.

“It’s a process that can be tough. And at the American Red Cross, not only can we offer assistance through, what we’re able to do is we’d love to kind of be that bridge in the community to help connect individuals that have impacted with other resources that might be available to them outside of the American Red Cross,” an official said.

The Red Cross says people should reach out to them if they are impacted by flooding. “The American Red Cross is there to help with any natural disasters that happen here in Illinois,” an official said.

Jackson County Emergency Management Coordinator Orval Rowe says anyone looking to buy or rent a home should take time to research the property’s flood history and ask questions before signing a contract or lease. He recommends talking to neighbors and asking realtors about flood plains and flood levels.

Rowe also says that with flash floods, it can be hard to tell what areas could be impacted at times.

FEMA tells Heartland News there are just 17 National Flood Insurance Program policies in Carbondale and one in Mounds. Officials say reviewing your insurance coverage before the next storm can help prevent unexpected costs if flooding happens again. They also offer advice about preparing for possible future flooding as well as how to start a preparedness kits.

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