Sarasota County Residents Eligible For Temporary Roof Coverings

SARASOTA, FL – For Sarasota County residents waiting to have their roofs repaired after Hurricane Irma blew through on Sunday, Sept. 10, the federal government is offering a program to help provide temporary roof coverings to avoid further home damage.

Sarasota County is looking to get the word out to its residents they may be eligible to have free temporary coverings installed on their homes through Operation Blue Roof.

Operation Blue Roof is a priority mission provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and managed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors. The program provides fiber-reinforced sheeting and installation to cover damaged roofs for homeowners in disaster areas until arrangements can be made for permanent repairs.

Sarasota County residents can sign up at the Right of Entry Center located at Bee Ridge Park, 4430 S. Lockwood Ridge Road, Sarasota. The facility, which opened Sunday, Sept. 17, will remain open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day this week.

Residents are asked to bring a driver’s license or other proof of residency, and be prepared to answer questions to determine eligibility. The program is for primary residences or permanently occupied rental properties with less than 50 percent structural damage. Vacation rental properties are not eligible.

Once the “blue roof” is installed, the structure must be habitable. Roofs made of metal, clay, slate or asbestos tile, or are flat, do not qualify.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representatives will visit the applicant’s property to assess the damage, and if approved, the Corps will install the temporary roof. Storm debris must be removed from the roof before the temporary roof will be installed.

Sarasota County is one of five Tampa Bay-area counties where the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have opened Right of Entry centers. Pinellas County, which has also qualified for the Operation Blue Roof program, offered the following advice for people looking to apply for assistance:

• Beware of solicitations: Operation Blue Roof representatives never solicit participation. They will not ask for bank account numbers or Social Security numbers.
• Look for ID: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contractors who do assessments for Operation Blue Roof carry U.S. Government ID cards. If one is not visible, ask for it. Contractors are required to carry a copy of a signed Right of Entry form.
• Secure pets: Homeowners with pets who have submitted Right of Entry forms should ensure pets are placed inside or restrained away from the structure to all workers to have safe access to the roof.
• Phone calls: Representatives from Operation Blue Roof may call applicants to clarify information or location. They will not ask for sensitive information.
• Don’t pay: Operation Blue Roof is a free service.

If a resident is in doubt that a worker is an official government representative or contractor, call local law enforcement or the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866) 720-5721.

For more information on Operation Blue Roof and eligibility requirements, call (800) ROOF-BLU or visit http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Emergency-Operations/National-Response-Framework/Temporary-Roofing.

Caption: Roofing contractors of S & M Associates install FEMA supplied blue tarp sheets onto a Naples home in order to provide a temporary solution for residence housing shelter and prevent further damage.

Photo courtesy of FEMA/1st Lt. Kenneth Bolton