SUMAS, Wash. – Federal officials are beginning the next phase of disaster recovery in Whatcom County, contacting residents affected by December’s flooding to schedule home inspections required for federal aid.
The inspections come after a major disaster declaration for Washington was approved last week, unlocking assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for people impacted by severe flooding.
FEMA says the inspections are a required step to verify disaster-related damage and determine how much aid each household may qualify for. Inspectors assess whether homes are safe to live in and confirm the damage was caused by the flooding before any assistance is approved.
In Sumas, one of the hardest-hit communities, recovery remains ongoing months after floodwaters swept through neighborhoods and businesses.
At Bob’s Burgers and Brew, owner Tobyn Cochrane says the restaurant is back open but still working to recover.
“It’s been a long road and a lot of hard work to get to where we are now,” Cochrane said.
Floodwaters brought nearly two feet of water inside the restaurant in December, damaging walls, floors and equipment. Cochrane said the cleanup required gutting much of the building and rebuilding over several weeks.
“We had to gut everything… everything came out of the whole building,” he said.
With the help of volunteers and a contractor, the restaurant has reopened, but financial challenges remain. Cochrane said a state grant helped cover part of the rebuilding costs, though it did not come close to covering the full expense.
“That was a fraction of what I owe him,” he said, referring to the contractor.
The flooding was severe across Whatcom County, damaging more than 1,200 homes, including at least 150 that were severely damaged or destroyed. Entire neighborhoods in Sumas were inundated, and evacuations were ordered as waters rose.
Months later, the impacts are still visible. Some residents remain displaced as rebuilding continues.
“There’s some of them that still aren’t even in their house… it’s just a long, slow rebuild,” Cochrane said.
Even for businesses that have reopened, economic recovery has been uneven. Cochrane said customer traffic has not fully returned, in part because of broader impacts to the community and fewer visitors crossing the nearby Canadian border.
“Our sales haven’t been what we’d hoped for,” he said.
FEMA assistance is intended to help with basic needs, including home repairs, temporary housing and replacing essential belongings. Aid amounts vary by household, with federal caps set for different categories of assistance.
For communities like Sumas, the inspections mark a critical step toward receiving that support even as recovery from the December flooding continues.
ट्विटर पर साझा करें: FEMA begins home inspections for victims months after devastating Sumas flooding
