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In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Biden-Harris Administration has allocated more than $210 million in federal aid to date to assist affected communities in their recovery efforts. FEMA is actively coordinating recovery operations across the Southeast while also bracing for the impact of Hurricane Milton.
FEMA is advising residents in the anticipated path of Hurricane Milton to stay vigilant and listen to your local authorities about the best course of action. On Oct. 7, President Joseph R. Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida, authorizing FEMA to help save lives, protect the health and safety of those in the storm's path. FEMA and its federal partners are strategically positioning resources to bolster local and state response efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton.
The National Hurricane Center warns of life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds and heavy rainfall for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning early Wednesday, with increasing coastal flooding concerns for southeast South Carolina and Georgia. Evacuation orders have been issued and evacuation support is being provided. The State Assistance Information Line has been activated to provide residents with essential information and resources. Residents needing information and resources can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish and Creole speakers available to answer questions.
Individuals in the potential path of Hurricane Milton are urged to take the forecast seriously, complete their preparations and stay informed through the FEMA App and local authorities. For additional preparedness resources and state updates on Hurricane Milton, please visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
The agency is still collaborating closely with state, local and Tribal Nation partners to evaluate the extent of the damage and provide support to those impacted by Hurricane Helene. Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. FEMA has approved housing and various forms of aid for thousands of households so far. Transitional Sheltering Assistance is available for North Carolinians displaced by Helene. FEMA's Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are currently on the ground in affected areas, aiding survivors in applying for FEMA aid and linking them with additional resources critical to their recovery.
For the latest updates on the Hurricane Helene and Milton response, please visit Press Releases | FEMA.gov.
FEMA has enough money for immediate response and recovery needs. Anyone affected by Helene should not hesitate to apply for as there is a variety of help available for different needs.
The Continuing Resolution signed Sept. 30 gave FEMA access to sufficient funding to lift Immediate Needs Funding (INF) restrictions on Oct. 1.
INF is a tool FEMA uses when the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is projected to be insufficient to meet all Stafford Act requirements. Under INF, FEMA prioritizes response and urgent recovery efforts without interruption. However, new obligations that are not necessary for lifesaving and life-sustaining activities are paused.
“It was a tough decision to enter into INF,” states FEMA’s Chief Financial Officer Mary Comans. “When the Disaster Relief Fund reaches a certain level, it's important to strike a careful balance between using resources for non-essential activities and preserving them for potential catastrophic events. Although the decision was challenging, I am grateful that the DRF's reserve was sufficient to respond to an event like Hurricane Helene and now Hurricane Milton. This balance enabled FEMA to deploy thousands of federal personnel for the hurricane response. Now that the INF restriction has been lifted, we can also resume funding those longer-term projects that will help us continue building a more resilient Nation.”
The Continuing Resolution gives FEMA access to $20 billion. Lifting INF allows FEMA to begin processing obligations of approximately $8 billion for nearly 3,000 paused projects. Delayed projects will be processed as quickly as possible. FEMA estimates that all INF-delayed projects will be funded within the next several weeks.
Funding these projects helps communities, schools and hospitals across the nation as they recover from and mitigate against disasters. They are critical to our nation’s resilience. However, our agency must always prioritize resources for a new catastrophic disaster and ensure it maintains the ability to address lifesaving and life-sustaining resources. Due to the uncertainty of receiving additional funding and if current spending rates hold, the agency projects that it may need to reimplement INF before the end of the calendar year.
Additionally, on Aug. 29, FEMA announced that COVID-19 project closeout deadlines would be extended until 90 days after the lifting of INF. All small projects, which are those with a total cost under $1 million (regardless of when they were obligated), as well as large projects obligated as of May 6, 2024, will now have until Dec. 30, 2024, to submit their closeout documentation. The deadline for large projects obligated after May 6, 2024, remains unchanged until March 1, 2025.
Help keep yourself, your family and your community safe after Hurricane Helene by being aware of rumors and scams and sharing official information from trusted sources.
Do your part to the stop the spread of rumors by doing three easy things:
- Find trusted sources of information.
- Share information from trusted sources.
- Discourage others from sharing information from unverified sources.
Please monitor the Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response to stay informed.
Hurricane Helene uprooted lives across multiple states. If you were affected, you may be left feeling overwhelmed and wondering what steps to take next. As you begin to clear debris, one important step you can take is to apply for disaster assistance.
This blog is here to guide you through the process and provide essential information you need to know when applying for assistance. Please take a moment to read the full blog for detailed information on navigating the road to recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene by visiting FEMA.gov.
After a disaster, people come together to help the affected communities. This kind of support is not just vital for a community’s recovery, it can bring much needed hope to survivors. Hurricane Helene uprooted the lives of millions. The recovery will be long, difficult and costly. It will take the efforts of countless people to help affected communities – from all levels of government, to non-profit organizations, to generous individuals like you.
Make a difference and learn more by reading the full blog by visiting FEMA.gov.
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