Menomonee Falls reports wide flood damage; FEMA grants $29.8 million in individual assistance

Assistant Police Chief Eugene Meidhardt briefed the Village Board of Menomonee Falls on the Aug. 9 severe storm and the village's ongoing recovery, saying a presidential declaration for individual assistance totaling $29,800,000 was issued in mid-September.

Meidhardt said the storm brought rainfall estimated between 9 and 12.5 inches in the hardest-hit areas, with the Menomonee River cresting around 8.5 feet (just above moderate flood level). The village recorded 409 calls for service during the peak response, and the highest call volume spiked between about 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. No deaths or injuries were reported.

Why it matters: the presidential individual-assistance declaration makes FEMA individual aid available to qualifying residents and businesses; Meidhardt emphasized that the federal award may not make households whole and urged residents to document losses.

Meidhardt outlined the village's timeline and damage-assessment work. The village activated the 2-1-1 portal and received its first 2-1-1 submission on Aug. 11. Firefighters and trained county teams completed 191 survey 1-2-3 assessments over a multi-day effort; as of Meidhardt's Sept. 15 report the village had recorded 874 2-1-1 submissions. The village's survey results showed 106 properties with major damage, 78 with minor damage, 12 affected, and one destroyed.

Meidhardt gave preliminary cost estimates compiled from the Unified Disaster Situation Report (UDSR), 2-1-1 submissions and site visits: an "individual estimate" of $35,000,000 and a public-assistance estimate the transcript records as about $1,200,000. He cautioned that those figures are estimates and not final costs.

On federal engagement, Meidhardt said FEMA, the Small Business Administration and Wisconsin Emergency Management conducted preliminary damage-assessment work on Aug. 21 and performed limited site visits thereafter. He told the board he was informed the presidential declaration was made the evening of Sept. 11 and that formal notification followed.

Meidhardt stressed how residents should proceed: the FEMA application process is open even for people who did not previously submit through 2-1-1 or receive a site visit. "Documentation is huge," he said, urging residents to keep photographs, receipts and contractor quotes to support applications. He also said appeals of FEMA determinations exist but the village has no control over federal awards.

Village operations and recovery work: Meidhardt described the multi-department response: about 15 police personnel, 25 fire personnel and 15 public-works/utilities staff staffed the incident response and initial recovery. The village managed roughly 25 road closures, coordinated daily meetings with Waukesha County Emergency Management for nearly three weeks, distributed cleaning kits from the Salvation Army, and orchestrated a large debris-pickup operation that continued for about three weeks.

Public-works work and schedule: Public-works staff and contractors were preparing to replace culverts and stabilize banks on affected streets. Tom Hoffman (public works staff) told the board that concrete metal pipe (CMP) culverts had been ordered and "the culverts actually get delivered this coming Wednesday to our public works garage," and that contractors would mobilize and begin culvert installation and bank stabilization the following week. For Campbell Drive the village worked with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to accelerate a planned DOT project; bidding was opened in October and stabilization work was expected before a larger DOT contract in December.

Next steps and outreach: the village posted guidance and application links on its website, pushed updates through social media and email, and planned an after-action review to identify process improvements. Meidhardt said debris/brush collection had shifted to flood-related brush only and that brush pickup operations had started; leaf collection would follow.

Board members repeatedly thanked first responders, public works and Waste Management for debris pickup and commended staff for outreach and the timeliness of the FEMA declaration.

Ending: Meidhardt urged patience and careful documentation as recovery continues. He said the village will pursue process improvements and continue to update residents on schedules for roadway repairs, culvert replacements and remaining debris collection.