Preliminary damage assessment teams will be out in McHenry County on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The teams will be going door to door to assess and verify damage from the storms and floods that swept McHenry County from Aug. 16 to 19, officials said in a news release Friday.

[ See more photos from mid-August storm damage ]

Team members will carry photo ID and won’t enter homes. There also will be bilingual staff on hand, according to the release.

Team members include representatives from the McHenry County Emergency Management Agency, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to the release.

County officials also cautioned residents to be vigilant about potential disaster scams. County Board Chair Mike Buehler said the teams won’t charge residents.

“These [preliminary damage assessment] teams will be carrying photo ID to verify their legitimacy – and more importantly, these teams do not use contractors or ask for payment,” Buehler said in the release. “Legitimate assessment teams from FEMA, IEMA and the Small Business Administration will never charge for assessments or disaster assistance.”

The data collection is to help local municipalities qualify for assistance, and residents shouldn’t be worried if the teams don’t stop by their property. The teams will be surveying home, business and possession damage in order to enable IEMA officials to pursue all potential forms of assistance, McHenry County EMA Director David Christensen said in the release.

”Emergency responders will be putting boots on the ground to ensure that McHenry County and local municipalities can qualify for any potential federal aid to individuals or businesses,” Christensen said in the release.

He added: “A visit from a PDA team is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance carrier. If your property sustained damage, you need to file a claim.”

More information about potential disaster scams is available on the IEMA website at ready.illinois.gov/after/beware-of-scams.html and FEMA website at fema.gov/about/offices/security/disaster-fraud.

McHenry County EMA officials previously put out a survey asking residents and businesses that sustained storm damage to report it through the survey. The survey deadline was extended from Aug. 22 to Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Those who have damage but haven’t filled out the survey are asked to fill out the survey at bit.ly/4p0gY0Y.

Storms swept McHenry County on Aug. 16, downing trees in the southeast part of the county and leaving thousands of residents without power.

Cary officials declared a state of emergency in the wake of the storm Aug. 16, and Cary Lake at Rotary Park was closed for a couple of days while ComEd crews used the park to stage recovery efforts.

Another round of storms Aug. 19 set off tornado sirens in McHenry, and portions of northwestern Kane County were under a tornado warning at one point. Much of that area was under severe thunderstorm warnings for much of the afternoon into the evening, and the county was under a flood watch.