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Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office meets with fire victims

Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office meets with fire victims
TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE TRYING TO HELP. A YEAR AFTER THE HERMITS PEAK CALF CANYON FIRE RECOVERY EFFORTS ARE STILL ONGOING FOR AREAS LIKE THIS THAT BURNED PEOPLE NOW HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FLOODING. THE HERMITS PEAK CANYON CLAIMS OFFICE WANTS PEOPLE TO KNOW THERE ARE MORE OPTIONS. IF YOU LIVE IN MORAGA, SAN MIGUEL, YOU AUTOMATICALLY QUALIFY TO HAVE YOUR FLOOD INSURANCE PREMIUM PAID. SO WE REALLY ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GET FLOOD INSURANCE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. MONTHS IN THE MAKING. THE HERMITS PEAK CALF CANYON CLAIMS OFFICE IS OPEN. SEVERAL OF THE EMPLOYEES, LIKE MIGUEL MEDINA, HAVE WORKED WITH THOSE WHO’VE LOST EVERYTHING. NOW HE’S TRYING TO HELP. A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE LOST THE PROPERTY AND THAT’S WHY I’M HERE. JUST GIVE BACK TO TO MY, YOU KNOW, MY COMMUNITY THAT RAISED ME. THE CLAIMS OFFICE SAYS THEY HAVE RECEIVED MORE THAN 1000 CLAIMS AND EXPECTS TO HAVE EVEN MORE. SOME PEOPLE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THEY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR A LOSS BECAUSE I DIDN’T THINK WE WOULD BE QUALIFIED FOR ANYTHING. BUT EVEN THOUGH I EVACUATED TO HER HOUSE AND TO ME, WE’RE JUST FRIENDS HELPING EACH OTHER OUT AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SEE IT FROM A DIFFERENT LIGHT, I SAID, WELL, IT’S TRUE. WE DID HAVE A LOSS IN A SENSE. WHILE MANY ARE STILL FRUSTRATED WITH THE PROCESS, CARBAJAL SAYS THEIR GOAL IS TO TREAT EVERYONE FAIRLY. IF ANYONE COMES FORWARD AND FILES A CLAIM AND HAS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THINGS BEING EQUITABLE OR TREATED FAIRLY, THEY CAN REACH OUT TO OUR ADVOCATE WHO WILL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED AS WELL. CLAIMS NAVIGATORS ARE ENCOURAGING PEOPLE WHO WERE IMPACTED BY THE FIRE TO VISIT THE CLAIMS OFFICE. EVEN IF IT WAS JUST FOR AN EVACUATION ORDER. REPORTING AT THE HERMITS PEAK CANYON BURN SCARS STEPHANIE MUNIZ, KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS. THE HERMITS PEAK CALF CANYON CLAIMS OFFICE IS OPEN MONDAY THROUG
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Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office meets with fire victims
One year after the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon fire people still need aid and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is still trying to streamline the claims process for victims.“If you live in Mora County or San Miguel County you automatically qualify to have your flood insurance premium paid. So we are really encouraging people to get flood insurance as soon as possible,” said Jennifer Carbajal, the deputy director for the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office. Months in the making — the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office is open.Several of the employees, like Miguel Medina, have worked with those who lost everything, and now he is trying to help. “A lot of those people lost property. that's why I'm here to get back to my community that raised me,” said Medina, a FEMA claims navigator. The claims office says they have received more than 1,000 claims and expect to have even more.Some people didn't even know they would be eligible for a loss. “I didn't think we qualified for anything even though I evacuated to her house, and to me, we're just friends helping each other out, and when you see it from a different light, you say yeah, it's true we did have a loss in a sense,” said Carlos Lopez, a Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon fire evacuee. While many are still frustrated with the process, Carbajal says their goal is to treat everyone fairly. “If anybody comes forward and files a key claim and has any concerns about things being equitable or treated fairly, they can reach out to our advocate, and we will make sure they have all the resources they need,” Carbajal said. All three of Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon claims offices are open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

One year after the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon fire people still need aid and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is still trying to streamline the claims process for victims.

“If you live in Mora County or San Miguel County you automatically qualify to have your flood insurance premium paid. So we are really encouraging people to get flood insurance as soon as possible,” said Jennifer Carbajal, the deputy director for the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office.

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Months in the making — the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Claims Office is open.

Several of the employees, like Miguel Medina, have worked with those who lost everything, and now he is trying to help.

“A lot of those people lost property. that's why I'm here to get back to my community that raised me,” said Medina, a FEMA claims navigator.

The claims office says they have received more than 1,000 claims and expect to have even more.

Some people didn't even know they would be eligible for a loss.

“I didn't think we qualified for anything even though I evacuated to her house, and to me, we're just friends helping each other out, and when you see it from a different light, you say yeah, it's true we did have a loss in a sense,” said Carlos Lopez, a Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon fire evacuee.

While many are still frustrated with the process, Carbajal says their goal is to treat everyone fairly.

“If anybody comes forward and files a key claim and has any concerns about things being equitable or treated fairly, they can reach out to our advocate, and we will make sure they have all the resources they need,” Carbajal said.

All three of Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon claims offices are open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.