Mattresses, rugs, insulation and household furniture are piled by the entrance of Perry and Jeanie Redmon's home.
Inside the first story, the house essentially has been gutted. The wet carpeting has been ripped out, and the first 4 feet of every wall has been torn apart to prevent mold from growing inside the walls.
Perry Redmon, 73, the self-described "river rat," is normally unfazed by flooding; he's experienced it many times at his Taos home situated a stone's throw from the Osage River.
However, the December flood caught him and his wife off guard. He was in the hospital when the water started to rise. By the time he returned, the place he called home for 30 years had 2 feet of water in it.
His ailing health has made him unable to fix any of the damages himself, so the Redmons are relying on the generosity of volunteers to restore the downstairs of their home to a livable condition.
Pat Rowe Kerr, a local veterans' advocate and executive director of When the Yellow Ribbon Fades, Missouri's Joining Forces, is helping the Redmons set up an account through Home Savings Bank so people can donate to their family.
Kerr hopes to help the couple raise $15,000 so they can replace the Sheetrock, insulation, damaged roof, carpets and - if there's enough - appliances and personal items destroyed in the flood. She said the Arms, Heart and Hammer group, coordinated by Don Barnett of Wesley Methodist Church, has already donated $1,000.
They also plan to apply for federal aid provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) but don't feel confident about getting any.
Missouri's individual assistance disaster declaration submitted by Gov. Jay Nixon was approved Thursday by the White House. Property owners in 33 Missouri counties, including Cole, Camden, Maries, Morgan and Osage, are eligible to receive funding.
Individuals have 60 days from Friday to register online or by calling FEMA's toll-free registration line.
The most an individual could receive is $33,000, but FEMA's external affairs director, Mike Cappannari, said the average person receives $3,000. The federal aid covers only uninsured losses, he said.
The last time an individual assistance disaster declaration was approved in Missouri was 2011 after the state experienced flooding and the Joplin tornado, Cappannari said. Individual assistance does not cover things like roads, bridges or schools.
The unusual December flood led to 16 confirmed deaths and destroyed or significantly damaged nearly 1,000 homes, according to a news release from Nixon's office.
On Friday, Nixon extended the declaration of a state of emergency to Feb. 22.
Earlier this month, representatives from the local emergency management offices, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and FEMA surveyed houses to assess damages and determine whether the flood should be considered a "major disaster."
In order to be considered a "major disaster," approximately 500 homes in Missouri have to be either destroyed or severely damaged from a disaster, said SEMA spokesman Mike O'Connell. However, if an economically depressed area is affected by a disaster, then the 500-home threshold could be lowered.
Flood plain managers for Cole and Osage counties said they were concerned their counties would not be eligible for funding from the declaration because most property owners experienced minor damage.
Major damages would be classified as a home that essentially needs to be torn down and rebuilt. If someone had a little flooding in their basement, that would be classified as minor damage.
Kerr said she is worried FEMA won't give any funding to the Redmons because they can live in the upstairs of their home. However, Perry Redmon's immobility requires the couple to live downstairs.
The couple's steep steps to the second floor are the reason he was hospitalized during the flood. He fell backward down the stairs and suffered multiple brain bleeds that left him unable to talk or stand for several days. Doctors told him he cannot walk up and down the stairs of his home anymore. The only way out of his house is from the second story down to his backyard.
"I feel liked a trapped rabbit," he said.
The Redmons used to have flood insurance but said they could no longer afford it with their minimal monthly income.
Cole County and Osage County participate in FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, which was established in 1968 as a means for property owners to protect themselves financially.
Without a county's voluntary participation, property owners wouldn't be able to purchase flood insurance from agencies.
Floods are too costly for agencies to cover on their own, they need federal dollars backing them to offer a flood insurance policy, said Andrea Rice, floodplain manager for Osage County.
In both counties, there are roughly 3,200 parcels in flood zones, although Rice estimates there are several hundred more in Osage County. Even though many residents live in flood zones, only a handful have flood insurance.
In Osage County, there are 75 flood insurance policy owners. In Cole County, there are 92.
Cappannari said people with flood insurance could get a payout from the insurance company and FEMA if some of their losses were not covered by their insurance. However, individuals who receive federal aid are required to purchase flood insurance. If they don't, they could be ineligible to receive some federal aid in the future.
Affected property owners who do not get federal aid could be eligible for a low-interest loan from the Small Business Administration or receive help from SEMA, which works with volunteer groups to provide aid to those affected by disasters, O'Connell said.
Those interested in registering for federal aid can do so online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the toll-free registration line, 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
How do you know if you're in a flood zone?
Even properties that aren't right by the river could be in a flood zone. There are two different types of flood zones - flood plains and floodways.
A flood plain is calculated based on land elevation and is in the 100-year flood zone, but county officials say flood plains are flooded more often than once every 100. However, a major flood is expected to occur in a flood plain once every 100 years. Those living in the flood plain are restricted by county building ordinances set by FEMA.
The floodway is in the flood plain, but experiences higher velocities of water and typically experiences more damage. The floodway is also calculated based on land elevation, and there are stricter county building ordinances in the floodway. To find out if you're in the flood plain or to get more information about county flood plain ordinances, contact your county emergency management office.
Registering for federal aid
Those affected by the December flood can register for federal aid at www.DiasterAssistance.gov, or by calling FEMA's toll-free registration line: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362).
Donating
Donations to Perry and Jeanie Redmon can be sent to Home Savings Bank, in care of Veteran Redmon Flood Repair.
Questions or volunteers can contact Pat Rowe Kerr, local veterans advocate and executive director of When the Yellow Ribbon Fades, Missouri's Joining Forces, at 573-462-9531.