State Of Montana
Disaster &
Emergency Services
Preliminary Damage Assessment Guidance
For Individual Assistance (IA)
*Although there is no state funded Individual Assistance program this information is needed to at
the state level to possibly attain a federal declaration. *
What is Individual
Assistance?
 Disaster assistance is direct assistance to individuals,
families and businesses in an area whose property has been
damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by
insurance. It is meant to help you with critical expenses that
cannot be covered in other ways. This assistance is not
intended to restore your damaged property to its condition
before the disaster.
What is a Preliminary
Damage Assessment (PDA)
for IA?
 The PDA process is a mechanism used to determine the
impact and magnitude of damage caused by a disaster to
individuals, families and businesses.
 Disaster assistance is direct assistance to individuals,
families and businesses in an area whose property has been
damaged or destroyed and whose losses are not covered by
insurance. It is meant to help you with critical expenses that
cannot be covered in other ways. This assistance is not
intended to restore your damaged property to its condition
before the disaster.
 Additional data from the Red Cross or other local voluntary
agencies may also be reviewed. During the assessments, the
team will collect estimates of the expenses and damages.
*Although there is no state funded Individual Assistance program this information is needed to at
the state level to possibly attain a federal declaration. *
Who is on the PDA team?
 PDA teams are comprised of personnel from the State DES
agency, the county and local officials. (sometimes the SBA
might come in to assist the PDA team)
How is the PDA data compiled?
The State of Montana takes their guidance from FEMA Region
VII for categories of Damages. The following guidelines are to
be used by FEMA/State Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA)
Teams while evaluating damages for Individual Assistance as
the result of a disaster event. Please note that these guidelines
are not absolute and damages are to be evaluated on an
individual basis regarding the impacts to the home and the
probable assistance necessary to address those impacts.
Insurance cannot be duplicated by any federal programs so for
those events where homeowners insurance may be applicable,
particular attention to insurance coverage is important. Please
also note your best estimate of owner occupied vs. renter
occupied homes.
*Although there is no state funded Individual Assistance program this information is needed to at
the state level to possibly attain a federal declaration. *
Categories of Damage
 Destroyed: Destroyed is used when there is a total loss or
damage to such an extent that repairs are not economically
feasible. Any one of the following may constitute a status
of destroyed:
Structure is not economically feasible to repair.
Structure is permanently uninhabitable.
Complete failures to most major components of structure
(e.g. basement walls/foundation, walls, roof, etc.)
 Major: Major damage is when the home has sustained
structural or significant damages, is uninhabitable and
requires extensive repairs. (e.g. substantial failures to
structural elements of the residence, repairs will take more
than 30 days, has more than 50% damage, etc.)
 Minor: Minor damage is used when the home is damaged
and may only be used under limited conditions, but can be
restored with minor repairs (e.g. can be repaired in less than
30 days for only a few thousand dollars).
 Affected: Affected damage is if the living unit, porch,
carport, garage, etc., was damaged but the living unit can
still be occupied safely.
Secondary residences would not be covered by federal disaster
assistance programs and as such would be counted separate from
primary residences.
*Although there is no state funded Individual Assistance program this information is needed to at
the state level to possibly attain a federal declaration. *
State of Montana DES Individual Assistance Forms
ESTIMATED DAMAGES INCURRED BY INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS
Local Jurisdiction Name: __________________________ DATE: ________________
Completion of this document will help determine if Federal Assistance is possibly available for individual
Homeowners. Please complete this document as thoroughly as possible. If additional information is
needed you may be contacted for clarification.
LAST NAME:_______________________________________________________
FIRST NAME:________________________________________________________
ADDRESS _________________________________
WORK PHONE:____________________ CITY___________ ST________ ZIP_______
HOME PHONE:____________________ CELL PHONE:_______________________
EMAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________________
Please provide a brief description of the damages to your residence from flooding.
Level of home affected? Basement/Main /Upper _____________________________________
Amount of water in home?
Inches ___________Feet__________
Septic Systems?
Operational?
YES______ NO________
YES______ NO________
Mold Issues?
YES______ NO________
Is this your primary residence?
YES______ NO________
Is the Home inaccessible due to flood waters?
YES______ NO________
Family Displaced?
If Yes: Do you have a place to stay until repaired? Hotel/ with Family?
YES______ NO________
YES______ NO________
Do you have Homeowners Insurance that will cover these damages?
YES______ NO________
Do you have flood insurance that will cover these damages?
YES______ NO________
Is your home habitable?
Was your furnace destroyed by the storm?
YES______ NO________
YES______ NO________
Was your hot water heater destroyed by the storm?
YES______ NO________
INITIAL
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT
SURVEY
Date: _____________
Jurisdiction: ______________
Incident Name: ____________
Please answer these questions specific to the “Incident Name” above, and return to
Montana Disaster & Emergency Services.
At this time:
1. How many private structures in your jurisdiction were damaged or destroyed by this incident?
_________
A. How many of these structures are primary residences? _____
B. How many of these structures are not insured? _____
3. Have five (5) or more businesses in your jurisdiction noticed a decline in revenue because of
this incident? ____no_____
4. Have agricultural producers in your jurisdiction incurred grazing, feed, livestock, or fencing
losses due to this incident? _____Yes ______ No
5. Have self-employed individuals in your jurisdiction not been able to perform their work
because of this incident? If yes, How many?
______
If you have questions please call Jan Traynor at 324-4777. E-mail completed survey to
jtraynor@mt.gov or fax the survey to: 406-324-4790 to my attention.
State of Montana
Disaster and Emergency Services Division
INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE
_
COUNTY
IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE: If you are evacuated or your home has been
destroyed:
Contact Your Local Red Cross Office or the Montana Chapter at 1-800-ARC-MONT
(1-800-272-6668) Website: www.montanaredcross.org
A Trained Red Cross Worker will help identify if you are eligible for assistance, which
may include:
 Money for groceries, clothes, rent and deposit, emergency home repairs, or
medicine.
 Medical needs for prescription medicines, medical supplies or prescription
eyeglasses.
 Mental health services to help you deal with the impacts the disaster created for
you or
your family members.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS: If you have questions about the following:
 Haying/Grazing of CRP
 Livestock Feed Assistance
 Livestock Indemnity – potential reimbursement for livestock losses
 Emergency Conservation Program - rehabilitating farm land, fence repair and
other cost share programs.
 Emergency Loan Program – for production and physical losses due to natural
disasters.
 EQUIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) – possible funds for postdisaster restoration.
Contact Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Bozeman Office (406-5876813)
Contact Your Local Farm Service Agency Office (FSA) at (406- )
HOMEOWNERS: If Your Primary or Secondary Residence Suffered a Loss
 Contact your insurance carrier to file a claim.
 Concerns about questionable insurance policy coverage, contact
State Auditor’s Office, (1-800-332-6148) – ask for Policyholder Services
For more information see the web-site of the State Auditor’s office:
www.sao.mt.gov
 If you are uninsured or underinsured, contact your local DES Coordinator
at (406- ) The DES Coordinator will submit a list of individual needs to the State
Individual Assistance Officer who will contact the non-profit VOAD organization
for
assistance for individuals who do not have insurance or are underinsured.
PRIVATE FOREST LAND OWNERS:
 Land Rehabilitation Program & Technical Assistance
Montana DNRC Forestry Division Field Office in Missoula for Disasters in Fires
and Floods
regarding issues or concerns associated with the management of
forest land. Such as tree salvage, reforest, erosion control, etc; Call (406-5424300) to find the office nearest you.
Website: www.dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/assistance
USDA SERVICE CENTER (FSA): For Disasters in Fires, Floods, and
Earthquakes etc.
 USDA Service Center (FSA) for the office nearest you; - Call (406-)
 County Resource Conservation & Development Area Office (RC&D) – Call (David
White) Bozeman (406-587-6813)
 Natural Resource Conservation Service; - Call (Clark Johnson) Bozeman (406585-2580 )
for Rural Development to find the office nearest you.
 For More Information Check Out The Following Web-Sites:
o www.dnrc.mt.gov/forestry/nursery - DNRC Forestry Assistance
o http://extn.msu.montana.edu - Range, Forestry & Horticulture
Assistance
o www.nrcs.usda.gov - Watershed Protection
BUSINESSES
 If your business has suffered an economic decline because of the event, please fill
out the (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program Worksheet called (EIDL).
The purpose of the EIDL is to assist for-profit, small businesses by providing
working capital. Non-profit organizations do not qualify for EIDL loans. This
form is available through your local DES Coordinator at: (406- )
SOCIAL SERVICES
 Disasters have a wide range of effects because daily life and normal routines are
interrupted and sometimes that drastic change is emotionally upsetting. If you
feel the need to speak with someone that can simply lend an ear or find other
available assistance, please contact:
Mental Health Services: (406-)
TAX RELIEF
Property owners may be eligible for property tax relief due to damages caused by a
disaster
 Contact the Local Property Assessment Office: (406- )

Contact your Accountant or the MT Department of Revenue for questions
regarding income tax filing extensions: (406-444-6900)
o For more information see the web-site of the Montana Department of
Revenue
o www.mt.gov/revenue
UNEMPLOYED DUE TO THE EVENT: Employed by a Business
 For those who are relieved of work by their employer, contact your local job
service about filing for unemployment benefits. (406- )
WEED CONTROL
Affected areas can be especially susceptible to invasion of noxious weeds.
For more information contact:
 Your County Weed District Office:
(406-)
 The Montana Department of Agriculture: (406-444-5400)
If you have any Individual Assistance questions, please call
Jan Traynor at Montana Disaster & Emergency Services (406-324-4777)
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