BARTOW, Fla. (June 28, 2012) – Polk County Emergency Management and the Building and Codes Division are looking to Polk’s residents to help identify sites potentially damaged by Tropical Storm Debby.

With Polk County’s more than 200,000 properties on more than 2,000 square miles, finding every structure affected by Tropical Storm Debby would be impossible. Residents and businesses are encouraged to call the county’s Citizen’s Information Line at 863-401-2234 (locally) or toll-free 866-661-0228 to report damage to their homes, businesses, fences sheds, lanais etc. Polk’s damage assessment teams will verify potential damage called in.

Finding every structure damaged by the storms is vital. The number of structures affected and the dollar value of storm-related damage helps Polk County Emergency Management when filing for reimbursement for operational and recovery costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), taking much of the burden off of the Polk County taxpayer. In addition, it helps the county identify potential grant opportunities.

Residents who sustained damage from Tropical Storm Debby are reminded to hire only licensed contractors to make necessary repairs and obtain permits prior to beginning work. Beware of scam artists. Contact your local building department for more information.

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Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) is a division of the Board of County Commissioners. PCFR provides fire, emergency medical and emergency management services to residents in a 2000 square-mile area, as well as provides mutual aid to surrounding counties. PCFR has more than 500 full time employees throughout 45 stations, which run more than 80,000 calls each year.