The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $3.3 million to the State of Rhode Island to reimburse Providence College for the cost of providing non-congregate medical sheltering for students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $3,284,809 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the private Catholic university in Providence for the cost of renting hotel rooms to quarantine and/or isolate students between August 2020 and May 2022.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) issued a letter to Providence College authorizing them to conduct non-congregate sheltering (NCS) and support services. The college rented 485 rooms for a total of 555 nights at the Providence Marriott Downtown and Hilton Providence.

The college also provided approximately 20,000 meals for students, as well as facility disinfection, laundry services, and medical/security staffing. 

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Providence College with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $774 million in Public Assistance grants to Rhode Island to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $5.5 million to the State of Rhode Island to reimburse it for the cost of providing non-congregate medical sheltering for homeless populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $5,486,072 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Rhode Island Office of Housing and Community Development for the cost of renting hotel rooms and providing wraparound services to homeless populations at risk of COVID-19 between March and October 2021.

The state rented 963 rooms for 1,869 individuals at 17 hotels statewide, as well as providing services such as transportation, food, laundry, security, cleaning/disinfecting services, and administrative staff expenses.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Rhode Island with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $774 million in Public Assistance grants to Rhode Island to reimburse the state for pandemic-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $1.1 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse Boston University for the cost of testing students, staff and faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $1,132,655 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the private research university in Boston for the cost of hiring extra staff and paying existing staff to operate the school’s inhouse testing program between July 2020 and June 2021.

Boston University set up its own testing program that included both collection sites at its three campuses as well as a testing laboratory that was able to process over 5,000 tests per day and deliver results within 24 hours.

To staff the program, the college hired an assistant director for collections site operations, a collection site supervisor, a collection site service specialist, and an inventory control manager, who were part of a team of 23 employees who worked at total of 30,391 hours.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Boston University with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.6 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $6.1 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse UMass Memorial Health Care, Inc. for the cost of paying overtime for staff to handle increased patient loads during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $6,136,867 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the health care system in central Massachusetts – headquartered in Worcester and affiliated with the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School – for the cost of paying overtime to staff between July and December 2022.

The 3,261 staff impacted included licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, respiratory therapists, physical therapists, houseworkers, ambulatory services representatives, medical administrative secretaries, and executive secretaries who worked a total of 264,088 hours.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist UMass Memorial Health Care with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.6 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending nearly $3.5 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of providing vaccinations to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $3,494,771 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the cost of contracting to operate a statewide network of mobile vaccination sites between June and December 2022.

The contractor operated at 285 locations around the state and provided 73,455 vaccinations to individuals who met certain eligibility criteria. Services provided included screening patients, administering the vaccine, vaccine storage compliance, documenting procedures, and personal protective equipment protocol compliance.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.6 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

LAKE MARY, Fla. – The remaining Disaster Recovery Centers will be permanently closing at the end of the day on Wednesday, Nov. 29. This date marks the end of the registration period for disaster assistance. 

Sites Permanently Closing:

• Lafayette County: Mayo Community Center, 150 NW Community Cir., Mayo, 32066, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
• Madison County: Suite 693G, 705 E Base St., Madison, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Taylor County Mobile Registration Intake Center: Taylor County Sports Complex, 1685 US-19 S, Perry, 32347, 
  9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Help with disaster assistance will remain available via the FEMA Helpline, where FEMA representatives are available to answer questions on application status, the appeals process or other disaster-related inquiries. Survivors may contact the FEMA Helpline by calling 800-621-3362 or may also go online at disasterassistance.gov or use the FEMA mobile app for information on their applications. The phone line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, you may provide FEMA your phone number to utilize the service. 

 If you sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia and live in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee or Taylor counties, FEMA may be able to help. You may be eligible for FEMA financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other uninsured disaster-related expenses. The deadline to apply is November 29, 2023.

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

LAKE MARY, Fla. – Floridians who sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia have one week to apply for federal assistance. The deadline is Nov. 29, 2023.

If you sustained loss from Hurricane Idalia and live in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee or Taylor counties, FEMA may be able to help. You may be eligible for FEMA financial assistance for temporary lodging, basic home repairs, personal property losses and other uninsured disaster-related expenses. 

Call toll-free 800-621-3362, go online to DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA App for mobile devices. The telephone line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service such as VRS, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded over $40 million to the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA) to repair infrastructure and replace equipment damaged by Hurricane María that is intended to provide water management and services for several communities on the island. 

“These renovations will greatly improve the quality of life and health of many communities. Municipalities will be able to prevent or reduce sewage overflows along their roads and PRASA will have the resources to ensure that drinking water meets local and federal standards,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José G. Baquero.

FEMA allocated over $37 million to repair a trunk sewer that originates in Isabela, passes through Aguadilla, Moca and Aguada, and reaches Rincón. The Isabela-Aguada sanitary trunk sewer, which provides wastewater services to over 18,000 residents, is approximately 10 kilometers long, with pipes ranging from 21 to 54 inches in diameter.

This project will be carried out with a non-invasive technology known as Cured-in-Place Pipe (CIPP), which consists of covering the inside of the pipe with a polyester or fiberglass lining. “It is a method that does not require excavation, which minimizes the possible impact on traffic due to these works and extends its useful life for about 50 years,” said PRASA Executive President Doriel Pagán.

To date, PRASA has successfully used CIPP technology to repair other sanitary pipes in areas such as Guayama, Ponce, Carolina and Loíza.

Meanwhile, PRASA’s Caguas Central Laboratory also received an allocation of over $3 million to replace various analysis and testing equipment. This facility is the main water testing plant on the island and performs over 200,000 sampling tests each year for the benefit of the Authority’s 1.4 million customers.

“Continuous sampling allows us to calibrate the plant’s operation and thus be able to confirm compliance with all applicable federal and state drinking water laws and regulations,” Pagán said.

The equipment to be replaced includes an incubator, laboratory freezers, centrifuges and environmental chambers, among others. Its function is to analyze samples of both drinking water and sanitary sewage to validate the compliance of each treatment plant’s processes with regulatory parameters. 

This equipment benefits PRASA’s operation because it allows it to perform and expand the number of water quality tests performed at the corporation, which minimizes the need to resort to private laboratories. “We are already in the process of purchasing, installing and calibrating the specialized water quality analysis equipment,” said the executive president.

This obligation is part of the over $33.6 million that the agency has granted PRASA for the Central Laboratory, whose construction is in its final phase. For this project being developed in the city of Caguas, the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3) has reimbursed over $20.6 million.

COR3 Executive Director Manuel A. Laboy Rivera explained that “the PRASA team that is leading the reconstruction and modernization of the aqueduct system is doing an excellent job, making way for the reconstruction of several of its facilities with FEMA funds.”

Laboy added that “many of these works have been carried out through the Working Capital Advance (WCA) pilot program, through which PRASA has received $241.1 million. Of this, over $10 million corresponds to six permanent works for which the public corporation has requested the second WCA advance for a total of 50 percent of the funds allocated by the federal agency for these projects.”

To date, FEMA has awarded nearly $31.5 billion for about 10,900 projects to address Puerto Rico’s recovery. Of this, over $3.6 billion were approved for PRASA through FEMA’s Accelerated Award Strategy (FAASt) to repair water distribution and treatment facilities throughout Puerto Rico.

For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4339, fema.gov/disaster/4473 and recovery.pr. Follow us on our social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.

DENVER – FEMA has approved more than $4 million in Public Assistance funding for road repairs and debris removal costs related to the 2022 Montana floods. FEMA has approved roughly $37 million in Public Assistance funding for the 2022 Montana flooding recovery to date.

FEMA is providing $1,998,589.49 to Stillwater County for repairs to North Stillwater Road, which was washed out in multiple locations by the flooding. The repairs will consist of replacing fill and gravel at six different sites along the road. In addition, geotextiles will be placed in the roadbed and riprap will be placed along embankments to minimize potential flooding in the future.

Montana Disaster and Emergency Services has been awarded $2,029,500.00 for debris removal efforts in Carbon County. The funding will provide for clearing rock and gravel debris from 32 waterway sites in the county.

This FEMA funding represents 75 percent of the cost of the project with the remaining cost share the responsibility of the State of Montana and Stillwater County. 

The FEMA Public Assistance program provides funding to governmental agencies and certain private non-profits for eligible disaster response costs and to repair or replace damaged public infrastructure. For more information about the Public Assistance program, visit: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public/program-overview.

DENVER – FEMA has approved more than $1.3 million to the Dakota Valley Electric Cooperative for repairs following the November 2022 winter storm. This assistance was made available under a major disaster declaration issued February 5, 2023. FEMA has now approved more than $1.8 million in Public Assistance grant funds to North Dakota for this disaster response.

The November 9-11 severe winter storm caused widespread damage to Dakota Valley Electric’s infrastructure. The FEMA funding will reimburse the cooperative for replacing 431 power poles, 210 cross arms, 31 transformers and affiliated repairs at locations across 3 counties. This work helped to restore electric service to Dakota Valley Electric members.

This project was federally funded at 75 percent of the eligible cost. 

The FEMA Public Assistance program provides funding to governmental agencies and certain private non-profits for eligible disaster response costs. For more information about the Public Assistance program, visit: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public/program-overview.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending almost $37 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for some of the administrative costs incurred responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) will receive a total of $36,547,871 in federal funding through FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program to reimburse the cost of administering grants FEMA provided to the commonwealth for such expenses as COVID vaccinations and testing, non-congregate sheltering, and providing meals to vulnerable populations.

The direct and indirect administrative costs of activities included tracking, charging, and accounting for items related to eligible projects for this incident. The administrative costs are calculated as a percentage of the grants provided.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs,” said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”

FEMA’s Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.

So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.5 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.

CHICAGO - Cook County residents affected by the severe storms and flooding of September 17- 18, 2023, may now call or go online to register for disaster assistance from FEMA.  

If you have insurance coverage, first file a claim. If you have uninsured or underinsured losses, contact FEMA by going online to disasterassistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app or calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. When calling the FEMA Helpline, multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages). 

Federal assistance may include temporary lodging, basic home repairs and other disaster-related expenses.

Have the following information ready when you register with FEMA: 

• A current phone number where you can be contacted
• Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying
• Your social security number (or the social security number of a minor child in your household, if you’re applying on their behalf).
• A general list of damage and losses
• Banking information if you choose direct deposit
• If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

 
When registering, one member of a household needs to comply with citizenship criteria. That means a minor child who is a citizen, non-citizen national or qualified non-citizen can have a parent or guardian who is not eligible apply for assistance on the child’s behalf.   

Getting help to those who need it most is our priority. Recovery teams will be out soon in the neighborhoods affected by the disaster to provide one-on-one support to individuals. Recovery centers will also be opening for individuals to get additional in-person help. For even more information about the disaster recovery operation in Illinois, visit www.fema.gov/disaster/4749. 

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 Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. Reasonable accommodations, including translation and American Sign Language interpreters via Video Relay Service will be available to ensure effective communication with applicants with limited English proficiency, disabilities, and access and functional needs. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-3362. If you use video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.

WASHINGTON ­-- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of California to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Hilary, Aug. 19-21, 2023. 

Public Assistance federal funding is available to the state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Tropical Storm Hilary in Imperial, Inyo, Kern, Riverside and Siskiyou counties.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Andrew F. Grant has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

DENTON, Texas – New flood maps have been finalized and will become effective on May 8, 2024, for Comal County, Texas. During the next six months, a FEMA compliance specialist will work with the community to update each floodplain ordinance and adopt these new flood maps. 

Residents are encouraged to examine the maps to determine if they are in a low-to-moderate or high-risk flood zone. The current and future Flood Insurance Rate Map can be viewed on FEMA’s Flood Map Changes Viewer at https://msc.fema.gov/fmcv. 

By understanding flood risks, individuals can decide which insurance option is best for their situation. Community leaders can use these maps to make informed decisions about building standards and development that will make the community more resilient and lessen the impacts of a flooding event.

Anyone without flood insurance risks uninsured losses to their home, personal property and business. Flood insurance is available either through a private policy or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for those in communities who participate in the NFIP. Residents with federally backed mortgages must have flood insurance if their structures are in the Special Flood Hazard Area.

Contact your local floodplain administrator (FPA) to review the new flood maps and learn more about your risk of flooding. A FEMA Map Specialist can help identify your community FPA and answer questions about the maps as well. Contact them by phone or online chat.

• To use the live chat service, visit floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/fmx_main.html (just click on the “Live Chat” icon).
• To contact a FEMA Map Specialist, call 877-FEMA MAP (877-336-2627) or send an email to FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.

There are cost-saving options available for those newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone. Learn more about your flood insurance options by talking with your insurance agent or visiting floodsmart.gov.

WASHINGTON -- Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that the agency has a new opportunity for emergency managers to apply to the 2024 class of the Vanguard Executive Crisis Leaders Fellowship. The fellowship is for executive-level leaders to explore conceptual frameworks in crisis leadership and address disruptive changes in emergency management.

The Vanguard Fellowship, launched in January 2022, brings together 25 executive leaders from federal, state, local, tribal, territorial, academic, philanthropic, non-profit and private sector entities for two week-long engagements to collaborate on new and emerging challenges facing crisis leaders. This is the program's sixth class. 

“Emergency management is a team sport and emergency managers rely on our networks to solve complex problems, respond quickly and support the needs of survivors and communities,” said Administrator Criswell. “The Vanguard Fellowship brings together the brightest minds in the field to share experiences, understand different perspectives, foster thought leadership and build connections needed to tackle the challenges of disaster preparedness, response and recovery. I encourage all emergency managers to apply to be part of our 2024 cohorts.”

Throughout the two-week fellowship, participants meet with influential experts both within and outside of emergency management to hear their crisis leadership stories and lessons learned, and to discuss and assess the challenges ahead. Through sharing their own stories and an examination of the challenges they each face, fellows form a lasting, meaningful network and forge supportive bonds with alumni that become a resource as they face evolving challenges into the future.

Vanguard Executive Crisis Leaders Fellowship applications are accepted on a rolling basis. To be considered for the 2024 cohort, applications must be received by Dec.15, 2023. 

To ensure a diversity of participation, the program takes a hybrid approach to filling each cohort, accepting self-nominations, alumni recommendations and direct recruitment of proven crisis leaders. Applications are evaluated on the depth and breadth of direct experience leading through a crisis from an executive-level emergency management position. Read additional information about the program and application requirements.

WASHINGTON ­– FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Illinois to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred Sept. 17-18, 2023. 

The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Cook County.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

Waddy Gonzalez has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.

Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

WASHINGTON -- FEMA has published “Achieving Equitable Recovery: A Post-Disaster Guide for Local Officials and Leaders,” a first of its kind framework to help rebuild communities in a more accessible, inclusive and equitable manner.  This document provides guidance for local leaders and officials to understand, prepare for and execute their leadership responsibilities to promote equity, create accountability, establish an inclusive recovery planning process and recover from disasters while rebuilding long-lasting inclusivity. 

“From day one of my tenure, I have asked our agency to put the needs of the diverse communities we serve first. This has meant finding new, creative ways to better support these communities as they recover and rebuild after a disaster strikes,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This new guide offers fresh insights and strategies for local officials and leaders to ensure the work they are doing to rebuild their communities is done with inclusivity, accountability and equity top of mind.”

This guide supports local officials and leaders in their efforts to identify needs, establish critical partnerships, leverage new opportunities, conduct strategic public engagement and make a strong case for recovery in an equitable manner. The guide is organized around eight goals focused on approaches to engaging and identifying the needs of all community members and ensuring a more accessible, inclusive and equitable recovery planning process. 

This is just the latest example of how FEMA puts people first in its program and policies. In September, Administrator Criswell and NAACP President Derrick Johnson signed an agreement outlining ways in which the two organizations will work together to help people before, during and after disasters, building on the first agreement that was signed by the two organizations in 2013. Since the start of this Administration, FEMA made significant changes to the Individual Assistance application process, leading to over 158,000 survivors receiving assistance who would have previously been ineligible. This has resulted in more than $926 million in additional assistance for survivors. In FEMA’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan, the agency is committed to a goal of “Instilling Equity as a Foundation of Emergency Management.” 

Earlier this year, FEMA hosted a series of 60-minute webinar sessions to provide an overview of the draft guide and gather feedback from whole community partners. Much of that feedback was incorporated in the final document.

Frankfort, Ky. – FEMA has approved $20,835,364 to the Commonwealth of Kentucky to reimburse the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) for the costs of emergency protective measures taken following the 2022 Eastern Kentucky Floods.

During the incident period, severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides deposited debris throughout Kentucky. This created an immediate threat to property, and the health and safety of the public. 

As a result, KYEM used contractors to remove debris throughout Eastern Kentucky. Approximately 813 tons of vegetative debris, 102,660 tons of construction and demolition debris, 1,764 tons of white goods debris and 298 tons of E-waste debris were removed from roads and public property, including right of ways.

Funding for this Public Assistance (PA) project is authorized under Section 403 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. PA funds reimburse eligible applicants for the cost of debris removal; life-saving emergency protective measures; and the repair, replacement or restoration of disaster-damaged facilities like buildings, roads and utilities.

FEMA’s PA grant program is an essential source of funding for communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency. The Kentucky Division of Emergency Management (KYEM) works with FEMA during all phases of the PA program and conducts final reviews of FEMA-approved projects.

Applicants work directly with FEMA to develop project worksheets and scopes of work. Following approvals by FEMA and KYEM, FEMA obligates funding for the project.

FEMA’s PA program provides grants to state, tribal, and local governments, and certain types of private non-profit organizations including some houses of worship, so that communities can quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies.

The federal share for this Public Assistance project is 100 percent of the eligible costs for work conducted during a continuous 30-day period of the Commonwealth’s choosing within the first 120 days of the disaster declaration.

LAKE MARY, Fla. – Three Disaster Recovery Centers will be permanently closing this week, starting Monday, Nov. 20.

Sites Permanently Closing:

• Dixie County: Dixie County Public Library, 16328 SE US-19, Cross City, 32628, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Sat, closing at the end of the day on Tuesday, Nov. 21 
• Hillsborough County: Desoto Park Trail Roundabout, 2617 Corrine St., Tampa, 33605, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri, closing at the end of the day on Tuesday, Nov. 21
• Charlotte County: Mid County Regional Library, 2050 Forrest Nelson Blvd., Port Charlotte, 33952, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri, closing at the end of the day on Tuesday, Nov. 21 

All Disaster Recovery Centers will be closed starting Wednesday, Nov. 22 until Sunday, Nov. 26., in recognition of the Thanksgiving holiday. Normal hours of operation will resume on Monday, Nov. 27.

The below sites will reopen after the holiday break and operate until the last day to apply for disaster assistance on November 29,2023.

• Lafayette County: Mayo Community Center, 150 NW Community Cir., Mayo, 32066, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri, closed Saturday and Sunday
• Madison County: Suite 693G, 705 E Base St., Madison, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Sat, closed Sunday
• Taylor County Mobile Registration Intake Center: Taylor County Sports Complex, 1685 US-19 S, Perry, 32347, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Sat

No appointment is necessary to visit a Disaster Recovery Center. Residents are welcome to visit any open DRC and do not have to reside in that county.

Disaster Recovery Centers provide disaster survivors with information from Florida state agencies, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Survivors can get help applying for federal assistance, learn about the types of assistance available, learn about the appeals process and get updates on applications.

Disaster Recovery Centers are accessible to people with disabilities and have assistive technology equipment that allows disaster survivors to interact with staff. Video Remote Interpreting is available and in-person sign language is available by request. The centers also have accessible parking, ramps and restrooms.

It is not necessary to visit a center. Survivors can apply by calling 800-621-3362, going online at disasterassistance.gov, or using the FEMA mobile app. The line is open every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET. Help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video about how to apply visit: Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube.

Deadline to apply is November 29, 2023.                                     

FEMA Individual Assistance can help with temporary lodging expenses, basic home repairs and other essential disaster-related needs. 

For the latest information on Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Idalia, visit floridadisaster.org/updates/ and fema.gov/disaster/4734. Follow FEMA on X, formerly known as Twitter, at twitter.com/femaregion4 and at facebook.com/fema.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

All FEMA disaster assistance will be provided without discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability, limited English proficiency, economic status. If you believe your civil rights are being violated, you can call the Civil Rights Resource line at 833-285-7448.

WASHINGTON ­-- FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the U.S. Virgin Islands to supplement the territory’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from elevated levels of lead and copper in the water supply beginning on Oct. 25, 2023, and continuing.

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives, protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe on the island of St. Croix.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide, at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency. Emergency protective measures (Category B), including direct federal assistance, under the public assistance program will be provided for water, other necessary related items such as filters and testing and technical assistance necessary to identify and address immediate threats to public health and safety for 90 days from the start of the incident period. 

Ms. Lai Sun Yee has been appointed to coordinate Federal recovery operations in the affected areas.