Auburn officials reflect on December floods, outline FEMA deadlines and local assistance including farmers market outreach

Auburn emergency officials described the city’s December flood response as broadly successful while warning that recovery will require sustained work and prompt action from residents seeking assistance.

"I think Auburn should be proud," Emergency Manager Matthew Colpitts told the City of Auburn podcast when reflecting on the December floods, praising public works, communications staff, the EOC volunteers and regional partners for rapid shelter setup and mutual aid. He said the Red Cross ran a shelter at the community center and that volunteers came from across the country to help.

Colpitts cautioned that recovery involves far more than immediate response: teams must complete damage assessments, document expenses, and assemble FEMA project applications. He said an initial application packet for FEMA assistance must be submitted quickly—within 30 days after the disaster—and that developing reimbursable projects with federal rules is a detailed process that can last well over a year. "It can be 18 months, two years before you're closing out all your projects," he said.

For residents and businesses affected by flooding, Colpitts urged filing for FEMA individual assistance and noted that the Small Business Administration offers low-interest disaster loans to individuals and businesses. He said some application windows were approaching: "The best thing to do June 10th soon is the end of the Small Business Administration and FEMA Individual Assistance application process," and he added that in-person assistance would be available at local outreach events, including FEMA and SBA staff at the June 7 farmers market.

Colpitts also warned of scams and encouraged applicants to use official government sites for FEMA registration. He urged residents needing help to contact Auburn’s emergency-prep office via Auburn.gov for guidance.

The episode also spotlighted local resilience-building: Auburn is conducting two concurrent Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) trainings with a June 13 final drill and graduation. Officials said nearly 900 people have completed Auburn’s CERT curriculum to date and that the city plans to credential and better integrate volunteers into emergency operations going forward.

Next steps: residents who were impacted by the flooding should apply for FEMA assistance and consider SBA loan options before stated deadlines; anyone seeking help or wanting to join CERT was directed to contact the city’s emergency-preparedness office.