FULTON COUNTY, Ga. – Hundreds of families in Fulton County are still picking up debris after record rains last month caused flash flooding in parts of Buckhead as Helene passed through Atlanta. Many are frustrated that they cannot receive disaster relief.

Elisabeth Anderson held her newborn baby in her arms as she, her husband and two dogs were rescued from floodwaters on Bohler Road.

“It was very scary. I think it probably took five days for the shock to wear off,” Anderson said.

Before she knew it, the water from Peachtree Creek was rapidly rising toward her home. That’s when she knew they had to get out.

“We drove off and I guess as we were leaving the creek reached the top, the car stopped and it seemed like there were rapids all around us,” she explained.

She and her husband called 911 and put their two dogs and newborn baby on the roof of the car. Firefighters set up a rope system to get them out.

“Luckily I had a headlamp on and turned it on as an emergency signal, even though we were on top of the car, it flashed so they could see us better even in the rain and the dark of the night,” she said.

They are now staying with relatives while reconstruction begins. She said her insurance doesn’t cover flood damage.

So many others on Peachtree Creek are in a similar situation and have lost everything.

“Everything you worked for is gone, and you hope that you will be compensated and be able to get back in and rebuild the capacity that will make the house safe,” Alexandra Nett said.

Since Fulton County is not part of Georgia’s disaster declaration, they cannot receive federal aid.

RELATED: Eight more counties are now eligible for federal aid after Hurricane Helene

“I tried to apply for it and that’s when I found out the county wasn’t on the list,” Megan Buzzard said. “(It) blew my mind because my whole neighborhood is destroyed.”

“You’re talking about $40,000 before your insurance funds are released. So if we get this disaster status, it will come quicker for the people who need it,” Nett explained. “Some people won’t be able to get started without this.”

“I know that many people in many areas have it much worse than us. We have our family, thank God, and we have a home to return to someday that is being rebuilt. “But that would make a big difference,” Anderson added.

GEMA told FOX 5 that the first step for inclusion in the disaster declaration is for residents to report damage to the county’s disaster management agency. District offices then coordinate with the state to obtain additional support. They also provided FOX 5 Atlanta with a detailed explanation of the process.