Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Smithsonian Institute will be in Pike and Floyd counties for another week to help victims of the mid-February floods save family heirlooms. Monday, FEMA’s Sarah Caruso was at the Floyd County Board of Education’s gymnasium and explained how the Save Your Family Treasures program works.
“It was developed to assist survivors who have damaged family heirlooms and treasures following a major event, or a flood event. We can demonstrate for people how to salvage those particular items, or we can give them information to take with them, so that they can learn to do it on their own.”
Caruso said as of Monday, teams in Floyd and Pike counties have helped about 60 people learn how to save treasured items – beginning with safety demonstrations.
“We emphasize the use of personal protective equipment, such as gloves, masks and eyewear, to make sure that while they're cleaning these objects and cleaning them so that they can keep them and that they won't keep those toxins in their home, that they're staying safe themselves.”
The Pike County team is at the public library in Pikeville. Caruso said they also provide contact information for professional conservators for items like a grand piano or grandfather’s clock.
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