OLYMPIA — Today, Governor Bob Ferguson sent a letter to President Donald Trump formally requesting a federal major disaster declaration following December’s historic storms. Governor Ferguson also requested FEMA to open Individual Assistance funds for survivors in affected counties and Tribal nations, an estimated $21.3 million. A request for funding to help repair the state’s damaged infrastructure is separate, and will come in February after the damage assessment is complete.

Between December 5 and 22, a series of catastrophic atmospheric rivers and winter storms caused widespread flooding, landslides, high winds, power outages, and severe damage to homes and critical infrastructure across the state. More than 100,000 people were under evacuation orders, 383 emergency rescues were conducted, one person lost their life, and nearly 4,000 homes were damaged.

The federal government previously granted an emergency declaration, which allowed federal resources, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Coast Guard, to provide assistance during the emergency.

The request follows previous steps by Governor Ferguson to support communities across the state, including providing $3.5 million in state emergency funds for food assistance, shelter, and other immediate needs following the flooding. The state’s Disaster Cash Assistance Program has already provided nearly $1 million in direct aid to more than 2,600 households. More information on state and county assistance is available at FloodRecovery.wa.gov.

“The scale, duration, and severity of this disaster overwhelmed local and state response capabilities,” Governor Ferguson said. “Thousands of families experienced devastating loss. Federal assistance is essential to help Washingtonians recover from these historic floods.”

To help demonstrate the severity of the damage, the Governor’s Office produced a video, available here.

Later this week, the Washington state congressional delegation and the leaders of all four state legislative caucuses are expected to send their own bipartisan letters supporting the governor’s request.

Governor Ferguson’s request asks FEMA to approve the maximum funding available for its Individual Assistance program. To be clear, this amount will not make all Washingtonians whole, but seeks the maximum amount that FEMA can provide. If FEMA approves Individual Assistance as part of the major disaster declaration, the next step for residents is to apply directly with FEMA. Governor Ferguson’s request currently includes Chelan, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston, and Whatcom counties, as well as 15 federally recognized Tribal nations.

FEMA Individual Assistance is intended to support individuals with limited means to help repair their homes or find stable housing until a more permanent solution is available. While Individual Assistance is not intended to fully fund individual recovery, it is a critical piece of the puzzle. More information on FEMA Individual Assistance here.

If the federal government declares a major disaster, impacted homeowners, renters, business owners and non-profits can also apply for low-interest loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Today’s request specifically seeks assistance for individuals. Washington state is still working to separately collect information about damage to public infrastructure, like roads and levees. The state will submit a request for FEMA Public Assistance funding to repair our infrastructure, as well as Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding to build our state’s resiliency ahead of future storms. Some communities have already built infrastructure to protect against flooding, such as Mount Vernon’s flood wall. The damage would have been even worse without these projects.

The deadline for the state to apply for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grants is February 18.

Storm impacts

The impacts from 18 days of storms were extensive.

Approximately 30 rivers flooded, with three of Washington’s largest rivers breaking all-time records. The water breached levees and dikes, causing sudden and severe flooding in industrial and residential areas. The agricultural heartland of the state’s west side was devastated by river flooding and landslides that took out farms and access to major roads, including two interstates and three U.S. highways. Farmers, rural residents, and small businesses suffered the most from the storms. Many farmers had significant losses, including eroded land, livestock deaths, saturated fields and damaged crops.

The Washington State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) was activated at the highest level — Level 1 — as conditions worsened, coordinating response efforts across state agencies, Tribal nations, and local governments. Governor Ferguson mobilized approximately 400 soldiers and airmen from the Washington National Guard to support lifesaving missions, flood mitigation, evacuations, sandbag operations, aviation rescue, and debris removal.

The following information highlights the severity of this disaster:

• Three of the state’s largest rivers (Skagit, Snohomish, and Cedar) reached their highest levels in recorded history.
• A total of 33 rivers exceeded flood stage, with 18 of those exceeding major flood stage.
• Approximately 3,891 homes were damaged statewide, with 440 homes being destroyed or sustaining major damage.
• The storm resulted in one fatality, 383 emergency rescues, and approximately 1,000 assisted evacuations.
• More than 100,000 people were ordered evacuated, including the residents of two entire cities.
• 34 state-managed transportation routes were severely impacted, including portions of two interstate highways and three U.S. highways.
• Amtrak Cascades rail service was suspended for four days between Vancouver, B.C., and Seattle, due to weather-related rail line disruptions.
• Approximately 450,000 customers experienced power outages during the disaster.
• At the peak, 15 emergency shelters were operating.
• One skilled nursing facility, with its 78 patients, was evacuated; two additional facilities closed due to flooding; one Level 3 facility sheltered in place for multiple days; and one facility operated on generator power for three days.
• Seven Tribal Nations issued emergency declarations and 13 counties issued disaster declarations.
• 20 county and Tribal emergency operations centers were activated.