Will County urges residents to report storm damage

The Will County Emergency Management Agency has launched a damage assessment survey for residents and businesses impacted by the severe weather on Monday night.

The survey “will help local emergency management officials assess countywide property damage and will aid in determining eligibility for any possible relief for the region,” according to a news release from the Will County Executive’s Office.

“We have been working closely with local partners to support ongoing recovery efforts,” Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said in the release. “This survey will help us gain a better understanding of the financial impact of this storm.”

The survey can be found at www.willcountyema.org/storm.

The survey is voluntary, according to the release. It does not substitute reporting damage to an insurance company, and does not guarantee any disaster relief assistance.

But it will support the efforts of damage assessment teams who are visually inspecting damage to personal property, businesses, and public infrastructure throughout the county.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that five tornadoes formed in Will County Monday night, causing widespread property damage and power outages.

Will County EMA and other local officials also will conduct door-to-door assessments in impacted communities over the next week, according to the release.

The county noted that “any door-to-door damage assessor will not be seeking entry into homes or businesses, will not be trying to sell anything, and any information collected will be kept for official use only.”