Volunteer Intake Center staged at Eastside Baptist Church

Jun. 11--Local flood recovery efforts include disaster assistance programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to farmers and the United Way's new Volunteer Intake Center.

While flood damage remains to be assessed, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in his latest weekly address that state's losses have been estimated to exceed $100 million.

The United Way of Fort Smith Area has set up its Volunteer Intake Center at Eastside Baptist Church, 2710 Massard Road, in Fort Smith. The hours will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The center was established at the request of officials from the city of Fort Smith and Sebastian County Emergency Management, and in partnership with Eastside Baptist Church.

To better place helpful people where they best fit, volunteers can fill out the River Valley Disaster Relief Volunteer Registration form that is found on the United Way of Fort Smith Area website, at unitedwayfortsmith.org. Registration takes less than two minutes to complete and will help with efficiency in getting a project assigned as the needs arise. It also lets the United Way understand the volunteer's availability and skill set.

If volunteers are affiliated with a church or organizational group that will be volunteering together, please click the box next to "Group" in the "I am signing up as a(n)" section of the form. Then, include the volunteer group's name in the section of the form that follows.

Stay consistent with your group name to allow the Volunteer Intake Center volunteers the ability to determine all members of your group (ex. "ABC Insurance Inc.").

If you are not affiliated with a group, just register as an individual.

If your home or business is in Crawford, Franklin, LeFlore, Logan, Sebastian or Sequoyah counties and you need assistance in cleanup, inside or outside, call (800) 558-3370. The hot line will take your information and direct it to the Volunteer Intake Center for response.

Flooded farm help

Kaci Crumb, County Executive Director for the Sebastian/Crawford/Scott County USDA Farm Service Agency, reminds local farmers that disaster assistance programs are available for the recent flooding. These include the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), which benefits eligible livestock owners or contract growers for livestock deaths "in excess of normal mortality or reduced sale prices for owned livestock due to injury caused by eligible loss conditions."

The Farm Service Agency also offers the Emergency Assistance for honeybees and farm-raised fish.

For more information concerning LIP or ELAP, call (479) 646-8300 (extension 2), 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Extension Office is located at 3913 Brooken Hill Drive in Fort Smith.

With all the flooding from the Arkansas River, many produce fields have also been impacted, according to a University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

"The federal regulation does say that produce that has come into contact with floodwaters is adulterated and must not be harvested to sell or consume," the Extension Service states. "Once floodwaters recede, food safety must also be considered before replanting impacted land."

Federal regulation does not give a timeline for when planting is allowed after a flood event, and science is insufficient in the area to give a definitive recommendation, the Extension Service adds. However, best practice would be to treat this situation like it was an application of manure as a soil amendment. The National Organic Standard requires 120 days between application of raw manure and harvest.

Additional Help

Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel will come to the county later this week based upon the Presidential Disaster Declaration for individual assistance, according to a news release from Sebastian County Judge David Hudson. Local residents affected by the flood can apply to FEMA online at the Disaster Assistance Improvement Program website. They can also call 1 (800) 621-3362. A FEMA disaster recovery center will open in the area soon, with homeowners and renters being eligible to apply.

In addition, the River Valley Flood Recovery Center at the former Sears store at 5111 Rogers Ave. in Fort Smith continues to provide assistance to local residents impacted by the flood. It is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those in the River Valley impacted by the flood who need information concerning resources may call 1 (800) 583-3370.

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