PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., APPROVES EMERGENCY DECLARATION FOR RHODE ISLAND [https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210821/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-emergency-declaration-rhode-island] Release Date: August 22, 2021 WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Rhode Island to supplement state, tribal and local response efforts to the emergency conditions in the area affected by Hurricane Henri, beginning on Aug. 20 and continuing. The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts with the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, to save lives, protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.   Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support will be provided at 75% federal funding. This assistance is for Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington counties, and the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Benjie Abbott has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.