PHILADELPHIA –FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Pennsylvania to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe wind and flooding due to the remnants of Hurricane Ida from August 31 - September 5, 2021. Individual Assistance (IA), to individuals and households for emergency work and the repair or replacement of homes damaged by Ida’s remnants throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania is available to qualified residents of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York Counties.
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 TTY for the hearing and speech impaired. Operators can also answer questions about applications already submitted.
“Assistance from FEMA can help individuals and households affected by a disaster take care of necessary expenses and serious needs that cannot be met through insurance or other forms of assistance,” said MaryAnn Tierney, FEMA Region 3’s Regional Administrator. “FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) Teams are currently deployed to communities throughout those counties to provide additional assistance in accessing and applying for disaster assistance. Working closely with local government officials as well as community and faith-based organizations, these teams are raising awareness about the availability of FEMA’s Individual Assistance support.”
FEMA DSA can help with:
- Submitting applications for federal assistance.
- Check the status of an application already in the system or make minor changes to applications.
- Provide civil rights and disability integration information to ensure equal access to FEMA programs.
“DSA Teams are here to lend additional, hands-on and personal help,” added Tierney. “Too many disaster survivors face barriers in accessing assistance programs and resources to support their recovery. FEMA helps people during their worst days, and that starts with recognizing the disproportionate effects disasters have on marginalized and underserved communities. Through our DSA Teams, FEMA helps meet disaster survivors where they are, in the communities most impacted, and in support of individuals who may need the most assistance in recovering.”
Residents should be aware that FEMA DSA staff will be wearing FEMA attire and will have appropriate federal identification. Individuals who have submitted damage reports with their municipality or county through online assessment tools, will still need to begin a new case and file information with FEMA.
Additionally, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program assistance, for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term life and property from natural hazards, is available on a cost-sharing basis, to all areas in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Craig Levy has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Levy stated that additional designations may be made at a later date, if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further assessments.
FEMA’s disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status.
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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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