Mayor's Corner: Storm Recovery
As we are all well aware, Lakewood recently experienced an extremely difficult week following the touchdown of multiple tornadoes in Northeast Ohio, including one in our immediate neighboring city, Rocky River. With tens of thousands losing power and cellphone service here – some losing services for close to a week – it was a time of extreme hardship for many. But it was also a time when we saw the true spirit of community in Lakewood in action.
I want to thank and commend so many of you who went out of your way to check on neighbors, offer help and supplies, donate money and goods to our Human Services department, and just generally pitch in during this time of need. The Healthy Lakewood Foundation stepped up with a $10,000 grant to the City which we used to provide gift cards for those of limited means (mainly seniors) to replace spoiled food and Trish Rooney and Lakewood Community Services Center were instrumental in leading an effort for SNAP recipients to apply for replacement benefits. I also must commend the work done by our various departments to swiftly and continuously provide critical public services over the past week.
Our police and fire emergency responders handled crises across the city in real time, but also took on key additional work such as delivering thousands of bottles of water to high-rises and obtaining emergency oxygen tanks for health challenged residents. Our Public Works team members have been doggedly making repairs and cleaning up the storm fallout. And some of our most important efforts have been performed by our Human Services Department staffers who worked many extra hours to keep Cove Community Center open for those in need of cooling, food and beverages, electricity, and WIFI. Our social workers also performed daily check-ins for our seniors who live in the multiple high rises and other senior residences across Lakewood. With additional support from a number of local Lakewood businesses, hundreds of meals were provided to those in need. I am so proud of our frontline city workers for rising to the occasion in a time of great need and working many hours to get the job done. They are true public servants.
Outside of Lakewood, I want to give a special thank you to Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne for his leadership in declaring the storm a county-wide emergency and for teaming with State Senator Nickie Antonio and State Representative Mike Skindell in helping to push the State of Ohio to do the same. This was a key effort that succeeded. I also must acknowledge Governor DeWine for his decision to ultimately declare a state emergency for our county and seven others. This was an important designation that will allow Lakewood and our fellow affected communities to defray our costs incurred in responding to the storm fallout. The City will be working to take full advantage of these potential resources to underwrite our costs from the storm.
As we all continue to address the aftereffects of the storm, please consider and consult the list below that may provide you with key information and resources.
Lost Food/SNAP Benefits: Many in our community, especially seniors on a limited income, benefit from SNAP benefits, and lost food during the power outage. You may be eligible to apply for reimbursement, possibly up to a month’s worth of benefits. Our team in Human Services may be able to help with information about the application process. If interested, please call Human Services at 216.529.5061.
Tree Limbs/Branches: If you are still working to deal with tree branches and limbs that fell from the storm, you can call the Refuse Division (216.252.4322) or Streets/Forestry Division (216.529.6810) for pickup of fallen tree material that you have placed on your treelawn.
Damage to Your Home/Building: The Building and Housing Department (216.529.6270) is performing inspections of damaged homes and can provide city documentation showing the need for repairs. While the city does not provide engineering analysis on structural damage, the paperwork provided by Building and Housing may be useful to homeowners when filing claims with their insurance providers. You can also find a list of contractors, searchable by service type, who are certified to perform work in Lakewood: https://www.lakewoodoh.gov/housing-building.
Beware “Storm Chaser” Scam Artists: After natural disasters, dishonest “storm chasers” and out-of-town contractors may knock on your door or call you to solicit business. These individuals often lack proper licensing, experience, and qualifications, and take money without delivering on their promises. The City advises you to be cautious with any such aggressive solicitations. You can read more about how to handle “storm chasers” here: https://www.bbb.org/all/natural-disasters/protect-yourself-from-storm-chasers
Please Support Local Businesses: Many of our local Lakewood small businesses suffered losses as a result of the storm. The City encourages residents if possible to patronize our local shops and restaurants and help them keep dollars local as they reopen now that power has been restored. The City is also thankful to those businesses that had power who donated food and resources to those in need.
Sign Up for “ReadyNotify” System: In the past year, The City of Lakewood joined the Cuyahoga County ReadyNotify System, which allows us to send important messages to the community on a mass scale. ReadyNotify was extremely helpful in communicating with residents to keep them updated during the past week, and the City encourages everyone to register for this service. You can do so here: https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFFD1901E551.