Have a damaged roof
after Hurricane Irma? You might qualify for help under Operation Blue Tarp.
Orlando-area residents with damaged roofs can sign up for a free tarp program at the Edgewater branch of the Orange County Library and at the Casselberry branch of the Seminole County Library, according to Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy’s office.
Federal agencies had not publicized the Central Florida locations by Tuesday morning. Shortly after the center opened at 5049 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, no one was in line. One of four federal workers said more than 200 homeowners signed up for the program in Polk County during one day recently.
At the Orange County library, which is in a shopping center, Richmond Heights resident Yomi Clark arrived Tuesday to sign up for the free roof-tarp installation.
“I lost about 14 shingles and didn’t have leaks but they want $3,000 for my insurance deductible,” the homeowner said.
Operation Blue Tarp, just beginning to roll out in Metro Orlando counties, has been operational in coastal and southern Florida counties during the weeks following Hurricane Irma. The partnership between the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requires residents to physically sign up at a designated center. That process takes about 5 minutes. Once signed up, quality-assurance inspectors who are in the field get updates so they can measure roofs for the tarps.
The tarps are a heavier ply than most commercially-available plastic sheathing, and installers secure them every 6 feet or so. The material can prevent further damage from rains for at least a month and some federal workers said they have been known to work for more than a year.
After inspectors measure the roof, installers may arrive to cover damaged roofs within a few days or as long as a month. For program details, visit http://www.saj.usace.army.mil/BlueRoof/online.
Winter Springs resident Lola Votta, 74, said the program is especially critical for seniors who don’t have thousands of dollars sitting around to meet their insurance deductibles.
“I have rain coming in four bedrooms. I have a garage with the ceiling falling down,” said Votta, whose deductible is $4,200. “All of this was caused by the hurricane.”
An adjuster from her insurance company, Allstate, has not yet been to her home, she added.