State and federal officials held a virtual town hall Tuesday night to update victims of the South Fork and Salt Fires and subsequent flooding on available disaster assistance. Residents were encouraged to apply broadly and persevere through red tape as recovery gets underway.
Administrators from the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Small Business Administration talked attendees through various offerings.
Interim Secretary of Emergency Management Maj. Gen. Miguel Aguilar warned those tuned in that recovery is a long road.
“We’re not going to measure in days, unfortunately. It’ll be years before we’re completely done,” he said. “But we’ll stand beside you as we continue through this journey.”
Rob Patterson, a federal coordinating officer for FEMA, which has been criticized for the slow roll-out of recovery funds in northern New Mexico after 2022 fires and flooding, said the agency has gotten $1.2 million out over the last two weeks.
“It’ll take us some time, as it always does,” he said. “But we’re finding every way to limit that.”
FEMA has individual assistance available for things like housing repair or replacement, emergency supplies, medical care, transportation, and displacement and rental assistance.
Meanwhile, the Small Business Administration is offering low-interest federal loans to business owners in the tourist destination, along with nonprofits, homeowners and renters. Those can be for physical or economic damages. The agency has opened a business recovery center at the Ruidoso Public Library.
For those with debris from fire or flooding on their property, the state is providing removal services. Residents must apply, giving permission for crews to enter the property. Emergency Management State Director Ali Rye said flooding victims who start in on the work themselves to avoid mold can still qualify for the assistance, but urged caution.
“The last thing we want to do is put you in a position where you feel like you have to rush to clean out your home and then you end up causing more damage to your health from things that are in the ash and debris,” she said.
Aguilar urged applicants not to be discouraged by denials, as they may just be the result of something like missing information.
“I know it’s a tedious process. It’s not a perfect process,” he told the fire and flood victims. “But what I will tell you is we are here to try to advocate for you. Sit down with the state team, with the FEMA team, and have a dialogue with them.”
Residents can get a disaster case manager and apply for state and federal assistance at recovery centers in Ruidoso, Mescalero or Roswell. There are also options to apply online or by phone.
Find more information at dhsem.nm.gov/nmwildfires or by phone at 1-833-663-4736.
