HARRISBURG, Pa. – Barely a month has passed since Hurricane Ida traveled a northeasterly course from the Gulf Coast through several states leaving a damaged Pennsylvania landscape in her wake. A major federal disaster was declared for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania by President Biden on September 10, 2021. The declaration provided Individual Assistance (IA) for the six counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York. Two additional counties, Bedford and Northampton, were added on September 24. Since then more than $35.8 million in federal assistance has been approved for Pennsylvanians. FEMA and its federal partners continue working daily to support the state and its residents as they rebuild their lives and communities.
As of October 18, a total of 29,660 people in the eight declared counties have applied to FEMA for information and assistance.
More than $21.9 million in federal disaster funds have been approved, including:
- A total of $17.5 million in Individual Assistance grants for housing assistance including:
- More than $12.6 million for eligible home repairs.
- More than $4.9 million in rental assistance.
- More than $4.3 million in grants for Other Needs Assistance to homeowners and renters to repair or replace certain household items, and include medical and dental expenses, and for disaster-related burials.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration has approved more than $13.9 million in low-interest disaster loans to repair and replace damaged property and contents.
- The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has paid policyholders more than $12.9 million for 1,796 claims filed to repair and rebuild flood-damaged property and contents. The $12.9 million includes advance payments to help homeowners get started quickly on repairs.
- Over 1,339 survivors have visited State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. Mitigation specialists are available at recovery centers to help survivors with tips and techniques on building hazard-resistant homes.
- A total of 19,991 FEMA housing inspections (81.8 percent) have been completed.
- FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) teams have spoken with 2,172 survivors throughout the eight declared counties and have visited more than 5,330 homes during the program, which ended October 5, 2021.
Disaster response involves the whole community, including local, state, and federal agencies, the private sector, nonprofit, voluntary, and faith-based organizations. Volunteers have been working tirelessly to help Pennsylvanians who were impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida get back to a more normal life.
The following agencies have engaged in assisting survivors of the disaster: Pennsylvania VOAD; Southeastern PA VOAD (SEPA VOAD); York County VOAD; Northeastern PA VOAD (NEPA VOAD) ; American Red Cross; Salvation Army; United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR); United Church Christ Disaster Ministries; Southern Baptist Convention; Pennsylvania SPCA; ACLAMO; Team Rubicon; United Way 211; Lutheran Disaster Services; Presbyterian Disaster Services; Adventist Community Services; Chester County Food Bank; The Elevated Studio; Nationalities Service Center; and Philabundance.
Survivors in Bedford, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and York Counties have until November 10, 2021 to register for FEMA federal disaster assistance.
Here’s how to register or to get additional information:
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 for voice, 711 and Video Relay Service (VRS). If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability and use a TTY, call 1-800-462-7585. Call Centers are currently open 24 hours.
- Download the free FEMA Mobile App and apply.
FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) are open in fixed locations to give survivors options to register and submit documents for their disaster assistance application.
Hours of Operation for all fixed DRCs below are as follows:
- Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- Sunday: Closed
Chester County
- Ashbridge Square Shopping Center (next to Staples and Home Depot), 945 E Lancaster Ave, Downingtown
Delaware County - operating in partnership with the Delaware County Emergency Services Department
- Chadds Ford Township Office, 10 Ring Road, Chads Ford
Montgomery County
- Montgomery County Community College, Health Sciences Center Gymnasium, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell
Philadelphia County - operating in partnership with the Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management:
- Former CVS location, 7219 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia
York County
- Manchester Township Municipal Building, 300 Farmtrail Rd, York
FEMA is also operating Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers (MDRCs). These are temporary Centers staffed with FEMA personnel and representatives of other federal and state agencies to assist with registration and answer questions about disaster assistance programs. Each location is open a relatively short period of time to provide assistance to as many residents as possible in designated counties impacted by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.
Montgomery County was the first to be serviced. A mobile DRC is open noon to 7:00 pm, Monday, Oct. 18, at SpringHill Suites, 430 Plymouth Rd, Plymouth Meeting. Others are planned for the near future.
FEMA’s Public Assistance Program (PA) is a grant program which provides federal assistance to state and local governments and certain types of private nonprofit organizations following a presidential disaster declaration. FEMA announced that the program is available to Bucks, Chester, and Montgomery counties. All seven categories of PA (Categories A-G) are now available on a 75 percent federal/25 percent state/local cost-share basis for eligible expenses. Additional counties may be designated at a later date.
For updates on the Pennsylvania response and recovery, follow the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency twitter.com/PEMAHQ on Twitter and Facebook https://m.facebook.com/PEMAHQ/. Additional information is available at fema.gov/disaster/4618.
To learn more about the City of Philadelphia’s Response and Recovery to Ida, please visit: https://www.phila.gov/2021-09-02-city-responds-to-damage-and-flooding-from-storm-ida/
Call 800-659-2955 for information about SBA’s disaster assistance, email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov https://usfema-my.sharepoint.com/personal/0263784098_fema_dhs_gov/Documents/Desktop/4618-PA/News Releases-R3 and DR4618/disastercustomerservice@sba.gov or visit SBA’s website at SBA.gov/disaster. Deaf and hard of hearing individuals may call 800-877-8339.
FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
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