Government officials and relief agencies are ramping up efforts to help those whose lives and livelihoods were deluged by the remnants of Hurricane Ivan.

"From initial assessments, we are told this will be the largest Red Cross relief [effort] that we've had locally, at least in recent history," said Jill Berardi, a spokesman for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Red Cross.

Gov. Ed Rendell has requested federal aid for 34 counties, including Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland.

Rendell has asked President Bush for a variety of federal aid programs, including grants, loans, legal help, food stamps, crisis counseling and other assistance.

If the president declares a federal disaster, local residents will have a toll-free number to call to apply for federal assistance, said Justin Fleming, deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

"Some people won't qualify. But the only way you can rule yourself out from getting assistance is not to call that number," he said.

The state emergency that Rendell already declared does not provide direct aid to citizens. It cuts red tape so local governments can hire clean-up and repair services without a lengthy bidding process.

Other state agencies have been working to provide relief. The Public Utilities Commission is working with power companies to restore electricity. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has National Guard troops available to assist with rescue missions, according to the state Emergency News and Information Center.

State mental-health response teams have been deployed to several areas, including Beaver County. PennDOT was working to open more than 1,000 roads that the storm had closed statewide.

Locally, the Allegheny Emergency Operations Center and Allegheny County Health Department were offering tetanus shots to residents and relief workers involved in clean-up operations. Shots will be available at the Millvale Community Center, the Etna Command Post on Locust Street, and the municipal buildings of Carnegie, Verona, Oakmont, West Deer and West Mifflin.

Arrangements were under way for immunization sites in Churchill and Wilkinsburg. Information on immunizations is available at 412-687-2243.

Flooding occurred over such a wide area that relief agencies were struggling to put the big picture together yesterday.

The Red Cross is dispatching assessment teams to hard-hit areas to determine what kind of help will be most needed.

"At this point we are still gathering information. In some places it is simply not safe to get in," Berardi said.

Right now the Red Cross can offer temporary shelter, food, clothing, safe water and access to medications. If people are stranded, the Red Cross may be able to deliver meals. Although the Red Cross does not clean houses, it provides cleaning kits to do-it-yourselfers.

Residents of Allegheny, Washington, Greene and Fayette Counties can contact the local chapter of the American Red Cross for assistance at 412-263-3100.

Among the advice the Red Cross offers to flood victims is to take pictures of the damage. It helps with insurance claims. And it's something people often overlook," Berardi said.

The Salvation Army had mobile feeding units traveling throughout the region, serving rescuers and relief workers, as well as victims. Bob Myers, director of disaster services for the Salvation Army of Western Pennsylvania, estimated that they had served between 2,000 and 3,000 meals yesterday, and distributed 750 clean-up kits valued at $22,000.

"If you lay out the expense for food, and transportation, that will be a pretty costly day, and we haven't even gotten to individual assistance yet," he said.

The Salvation Army custom tailors aid to meet needs not covered by insurance, government programs or other resources.

"Sometimes there may be only one thing that prevents a person getting back into their house, which might be to have an electrician certify the wiring. If they can't afford to hire the electrician, that may be the item that we assist them with," Myers said.

He anticipated that by tomorrow the Salvation Army will have assessment centers in several hard-hit communities, where victims can apply for help. The Etna location has not yet been determined. But Salvation Army centers in Carnegie, Tarentum, Washington and Waynesburg will be taking applications, he said.

Building supply stores were pulling out all stops to help those who began to help themselves.

Although closed roads kept typical Home Depot shoppers away from the Collier store, there was a run on sump pumps and cleaning supplies.

"We've been calling other stores in areas that weren't hit as hard, and they've been bringing them to us or we've been going to get them," said Jim Austin, manager of the flooring department.

At the Washington Home Depot, head cashier Clara Kelley had just sold the last wet-dry vacuum. Sump pumps were going fast, along with disinfectants, mobs, brooms and other cleaning supplies.

She was surprised at how cheerful the customers were.

"They know they got flooded, but they're kind of laughing and joking that it's just one of those things," she said.

Other businesses were at least temporarily shut down. South Hills Village Mall in Upper St. Clair originally planned to delay its opening until noon due to a power outage -- although Kaufmann's opened at 8 a.m. despite a lack of running water.

"The power came back on this morning, but as soon as the power came back on we lost water," said Georgann Koumaros, director of mall marketing.

As a result, the mall opening remained on hold early yesterday afternoon.

The business that never sleeps shut down yesterday when Wheeling Island Race Track and Gaming Center closed.

"We are completely closed. There is no racing or gaming," said Lesley Campbell, director of marketing.

Insurance agents who were trying to help clients were themselves coping with flooded offices, said Jennifer Johnsen, public affairs specialist for State Farm Insurance. An office in Crafton was affected by a mudslide, and others suffered water damage.

The 1,500 claims that came in from across the state yesterday were expected rise, and the company urged customers to call 1-800-SF-CLAIM for fast assistance. Most of the calls were for submerged vehicles and water damage to homes, Johnsen said.

Flood damage. including heavy rain that seeps into intact homes, is covered solely through federal flood insurance. But some water damage can be covered under a homeowners policy if it occurred because a tree fell on the home or wind damaged the roof or walls, she said.

She could not assess business damage because most State Farm clients are individuals.

"I haven't necessarily heard about businesses except our own State Farm agents who have taken on water themselves," she said.