Cedar Rapids 'flood forum' will take place on Wednesday

Disaster-impacted Iowans living in eastern Iowa have the opportunity to seek more information about recovery programs related to the 2008 disasters and to learn more about how to protect themselves and their property against future flooding at the Cedar Rapids “Flood Forum.”

The event will take place Aug. 12 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Road N.E., and is sponsored for the community by the Rebuild Iowa Office (RIO) and Millhiser Smith Agency of Cedar Rapids.

Speakers include representatives from the City of Cedar Rapids, Rebuild Iowa Office, Iowa Finance Authority, Iowa Department of Economic Development, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, National Flood Insurance Program, Selective Flood Insurance, among others.  Iowa Insurance Division Commissioner Susan Voss will also provide opening remarks.

The Gazette columnist Todd Dorman will conduct a live chat during the forum. Come back to GazetteOnline.com on Wednesday for more details.

The Flood Forum begins at 5 p.m. and continues through 7 p.m.

Presentations will focus on assistance to flood-affected residents, flood insurance basics, flood mapping information and an update on recovery from Cedar Rapids officials. Visitors may attend all or any portion of the information sessions.

Representatives from the insurance industry, state agencies and disaster-assistance programs will be available at booths just outside the information session from 5 to 8:30 p.m. to talk with visitors and to answer questions.

“We were looking for a way to give back to our community and make sure flood victims had all the information they needed to return to normalcy,” said Tim Gassmann, President of Millhiser Smith Agency.  “By providing a centralized meeting place for all assistance groups working on this recovery effort, we hope those that live in and around the Cedar Rapids community can find the information they need to best rebuild from Iowa's most devastating disaster.”

“One of the goals of the Rebuild Iowa Office is to make sure all impacted Iowans have the information they need to best recover from the 2008 disasters,” said Rebuild Iowa Office Executive Director Lt. General Ron Dardis.  “The RIO works with partners at all levels of government, as well as public and private entities to help communities come together to ensure people are getting the assistance they need.  After Millhiser Smith first approached us with the idea of a Flood Forum, we worked together to create a seminar that would provide Iowans with the most accurate information about what programs are available.”

The Flood Forum will provide additional information to disaster-impacted Iowans and direct them to available resources in the recovery process.  Individual case management services will not be available at this event.

The event is free and open to the public.

Anyone with questions about the event may call Cari Lamb, Client Relations Specialist at Millhiser Smith Agency at (319) 365-8611 or Tina Potthoff, Communications Director with the Rebuild Iowa Office, at (515) 242-5232.