How to Report Damage to the Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services

In order to quickly recover from emergencies and better understand the affects of emergencies for future mitigation, Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services (OES) urges local government agencies and the public to report damages following any emergency. This information helps OES in prioritizing recovery efforts and helps in securing state and/or federal recovery assistance. This damage reporting is only an initial quick damage report. Information can be revised and resubmitted to OES as more damage is discovered or more information becomes available. The quicker you can report damage the better!

All Initial Damage Estimates (IDE) reported to Mendocino County OES may be considered public documents and may be subject to Public Records Act (PRA) requests. Information submitted to OES may be shared with local government agencies, state agencies, and/or federal agencies as part of the recovery process.

Initial Damage Estimate (IDE) Form

Click here to download the Initial Damage Estimate (IDE) Form (Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, 73 KB)

After downloading and opening the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (.xlsx) you should see an instructional page on how to fill out and submit the IDE to Mendocino County OES. If you have any additional questions not covered by the IDE instructional page please email OES.

Why should I report damage to OES?

The purpose of completing and submitting the Initial Damage Estimate (IDE) form is to begin the process of seeking disaster funds to help restore the damaged property to pre-disaster conditions.  Without an IDE on file, State or Fedral funds may not be available, even if the damage is extensive.  Submission of this form to Mendocino OES does not guarantee disaster assistance funding as funding decisions are made by the state or federal governments and certain thresholds must be reached before funding may become available.

Disaster Recovery Process

Recovery is the immediate, short, and long-term actions taken in the aftermath of a disaster to assist in restoring the community. It is important to note that this is usually a gradual process. Safety and mental and physical well-being are key issues to consider during recovery.

Individual Assistance

Individual Assistance is assistance for when individuals, households, or businesses are affected by an emergency or disaster, assistance may come in a variety of ways, including government and/or nonprofit, volunteer and faith-based organizations. Although disaster assistance programs are not designed to return you to pre-disaster condition, they may help you begin the Recovery Process.

Insurance is the first resource in recovering from a disaster. Contact your insurance agent or company representative to report your losses, review your coverage, and answer any questions. The California Department of Insurance provides assistance with insurance issues and can be reached by calling 1-800-927-HELP (4357) or by visiting the Department of Insurance website.

Additionally, voluntary Agencies, such as the local American Red Cross or the Salvation Army, are often ready to step in and help take care of immediate needs. These organizations may be able to assist with sheltering or hotel vouchers, food, or clothing. 

Public Assistance

The Public Assistance disaster recovery programs provides assistance to state agencies, local governments, special districts and eligible private non-profit organizations impacted by a disaster in order to achieve a safer future for all California communities. The Public Assistance helps ensure that government entities are provided the assistance they need to recover from a major disaster or emergency.

Links to Recovery Resources:

• DisasterAssistance.gov
• Seeking Disaster Assistance from Ready.gov
• FEMA Individual Assistance
• FEMA Public Assistance
• Cal OES Recovery Division
• Small Business Association (SBA) Disaster Loans

Please call 911 immediately to report any immediate emergencies!

This tool is not intended to be used to report current emergencies affecting life, property or the environment. This tool should only be used to report damage after the immediate emergency situation has been handled.

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