MAYVILLE – With hundreds of homes across the area damaged as a result of Tuesday’s torrential downpours and subsequent flooding, the stage is now set for Chautauqua County to attempt to surpass the required monetary threshold for state and federal relief.

Local and elected officials held a news conference Wednesday at the county Emergency Services Office in Mayville to update the situation involving the disaster of historic proportions in some spots. Vince Horrigan, county executive, announced over 250 basements in the North County filled with muddy water and numerous roadways and culverts were washed out due to Mother Nature’s relentless fury.

“While we suffered considerable damage, thank God we do not have any serious injuries or loss of life, and that outcome could’ve been a lot different,” he added. “We responded to an incredible flooding event here in Chautauqua County again, that so often does occur. We remember 2009, the Silver Creek-Gowanda area, but we did suffer over the last 48 hours similarly. (The flooding) really put us in a position where trailer parks and others could’ve been compromised with our health – sewer systems and septics – but fortunately, most of those situations have been mitigated.”

New York state Sen. Cathy Young joined Horrigan in touring the affected areas of Westfield, Portland, Brocton, Silver Creek and Fredonia earlier in the day Wednesday. She referred to the tour as “eye-opening” in terms of the sheer amount of damage inflicted on the region.

“You see twisted metal, roads literally gone, homes that are destroyed,” Young recalled. “I went to see one woman in her home; her house is filled with mud. There was a lot of personal possessions that are destroyed and she’s taking them out to the curb. They’re trying to get the muck out of her house and she has no flood insurance because her home is not located in a floodplain. That shows the type of devastating personal circumstances that people are facing.”

Young praised the first responders and volunteers who sprang into action by calling them “heroes among us.” Some of those heroes, she said, include the individuals who risked their lives to rescue a woman who had fallen into Slippery Rock Creek in Brocton.

Assemblyman Andy Goodell echoed Young’s remarks about first responders and called the level of response “astounding.” He noted he observed Silver Creek’s fire department pumping out basements in Brocton before Silver Creek began flooding, while crews from Ashville and North East, Pennsylvania, had pumped out nearly 100 basements.

The American Red Cross had operated three temporary shelters across the area Tuesday at the Westfield and Brocton schools and the Irving fire hall, according to volunteers Sarah Swanson and Mary Walker. Brocton’s shelter served five people, while Westfield had 11 people.

Officials stressed that going forward, residents should report any flooding damage by calling 211 or 753-4341. Young pointed out that documenting each and every related expense is critical to reach the state and federal thresholds to qualify for financial assistance.

Representatives from the state’s Emergency Management Office traveled to the area Wednesday to put together an assessment of the situation with County Emergency Services Director Julius Leone.

“Our goal is to have those numbers in place by the end of this week and to give us a better idea of how we are looking in terms of a federal disaster declaration,” Leone remarked.

He added the qualifying threshold for state aid for Chautauqua County is $386,000. To move assistance to the federal level, the state must accrue an aggregated $20 million in expenses as a result of the natural disaster.

Leone expressed his optimism the county will at least hit its threshold mark.

“We know that there’s damage not only in Chautauqua County, but some in Allegany and Cattaraugus counties, too, also in my Senate district,” Young stated. “And so everyone is working together to get that information together.”

Horrigan noted he has heard from the offices of U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and Gov. Andrew Cuomo in regard to the situation.

County Public Facilities Director George Spanos announced three roads remain closed as a result of the flooding: Lake Avenue in Brocton (which he called the “most devastating” situation), Beech Hill Road in the town of Chautauqua (which recently saw the completion of a culvert replacement project before the rain washed it away) and Kabob Road in Stockton. Lake Avenue could open back up within the next two weeks, Spanos said, while Beech Hill Road may be opened within the next month. Kabob Road will open as soon as the water recedes.

County District 6 Legislator George Borrello warned of “unscrupulous people” going door-to-door and pretending to sell insurance or charging sky-high fees to remove debris in the Silver Creek area. He asked residents to report these people to the Sheriff’s Office.

Borrello also warned of a tremendous amount of large debris washed out into Lake Erie.

“Entire trees and so forth,” he said. “It is going to be a hazard for a long time, so please be careful (if you’re out on the water).”

The county landfill will be offering free disposal of flood-damaged items and debris picked up by municipalities for the next five days, Monday through Friday.