After both Hurricane Laura and Marco hit U.S. land last week, residents of Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Puerto Rico are in need of emergency services for shelter and repairs.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the federal agency that provides support for communities and persons in need after a natural disaster.
You can apply for FEMA assistance here. Enter your city and state, or zip code to find out if you are eligible.
Various services are given to areas that have been approved by the president via emergency declarations, called a Major Disaster Declaration. These services are split into three main categories, Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation Assistance:
- Individual Assistance– Assistance to individuals and households. These services may include:
- Individuals and Households Program
- Crisis Counseling Program
- Disaster Case Management
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance
- Disaster Legal Services
- Public Assistance- Assistance to state, tribal, and local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. Each different service is given a different Category name. These services may include:
- Category A- Debris removal
- Category B- Emergency protective measures
- Category C- Roads and bridges
- Category D- Water control facilities
- Category E- Buildings and equipment
- Category F- Utilities
- Category G- Parks, recreational, and other facilities
- Hazard Mitigation Assistance- Assistance to tribal governments, states and certain private nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards.
Areas that have been hit by Hurricane Laura and Marco have been granted the following services:
- Individual Assistance is available in Arcadia, Allen, Beauregard, Calcasicu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, Ouachita, Vermilion, and Vernon Parish.
- Category A Public Assistance (debris removal) is provided in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasicu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vernon Parish.
- Category B Public Assistance (emergency protective measures) is provided in every parish in the state.
- Individual Assistance is not available in any county.
- Category B Public Assistance (emergency protective measures) is provided in every county in the state.
- Individual Assistance is not available in any county.
- Category B Public Assistance (emergency protective measures) is provided in Anderson, Angelina, Aransas, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Calhoun, Cameron, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Dallas, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveson, Gregg, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Houston, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Kenedy, Kleberg, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Matagorda, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Nueces, Orange, Panola, Polk, Red River, Refugio, Rusk, San Augustine, San Jacinto, San Patricio, Shelby, Smith, Tarrant, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Victoria, Walker, Waller, Willacy, and Wood County.
- Individual Assistance is not available in any county.
- Category B Public Assistance (emergency protective measures) is provided in Adams, Amite, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, and Wilkinson County.
- Individual Assistance is not available in any county.
- Category B Public Assistance (emergency protective measures) is provided in Adams, Amite, Covington, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jefferson, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Stone, Walthall, Wayne, and Wilkinson County.
Emergency Housing
If you are in need of emergency housing assistance, read our FAQs here:
