After the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied aid for local flood victims last week, officials in Westmoreland and Allegheny counties began preparing an appeal to get the decision overturned.

Officials from both counties learned Friday that their request for a major disaster declaration, which would have made residents who were affected by heavy storms June 17 eligible for various kinds of federal aid, was denied.

Following a request from Gov. Ed Rendell, FEMA officials toured flood-ravaged communities in both counties June 24-26 to gauge the extent and severity of the damage.

Local officials tallied 1,538 structures that were damaged by floodwaters in Allegheny County, said county spokesman Kevin Evanto. In Westmoreland, officials with the Department of Public Safety counted more than 1,000 structures that were affected by the storm.

In the denial letter addressed to the governor, FEMA did not explain why the damage it observed did not warrant federal aid. It said only that "the damage was not of such severity and magnitude as to be beyond the capabilities of the commonwealth, affected local governments and voluntary agencies."

FEMA looks at a number of factors -- including the number of low-income, elderly or unemployed flood victims, the concentration of the flood damage, and numbers of injuries and deaths -- when considering a major disaster declaration.

In a teleconference Tuesday, officials from both counties, the city of Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency discussed how they would develop their appeal.

The governor's office will ultimately prepare the appeal and is required to provide additional information that might not have been considered in the original request for federal help.

Officials in both counties are now scrambling to see whether there was damage that FEMA did not account for in its original assessment.

Daniel Stevens, spokesman for the Westmoreland County Department of Public Safety, suspects that some residents who experienced flood damage have not reported it because of "pride."

"We're at a point now that the people in our county have been overlooked, and it's time for us to stand up," he said.

To report damage, residents should contact local officials or call the county's Department of Public Safety, 724-600-7305.

Mr. Stevens said that Westmoreland plans to report the $3.6 million in damage to county and local infrastructure in its appeal. This figure was not available for the original request for federal help.

In Allegheny County, Emergency Management Coordinator Robert A. Full wrote a letter to municipalities requesting information on the impact of flood damage to public health safety and the local economy, as well as a letter of support.

The appeal also will include requests for additional kinds of aid from FEMA. In the original request, the state asked for only Individual Assistance, which would have made residents eligible for funds for temporary housing and repairs, and for Hazard Mitigation funding for the entire state, which would have given flood-prone communities money to elevate houses and acquire properties with chronic flooding problems.

In the appeal, the state will apply for Public Assistance, which would make local governments eligible for funds to help with road and other infrastructure repairs, and for a Small Business Administration program, which would make residents and businesses eligible for low-interest loans for repairs.