disaster aid News

Georgia Counties Are Declared Eligible for Federal Disaster Aid After Hurricane Idalia

ATLANTA (AP) — An additional 25 counties in Georgia are now eligible for federal funding to help with cleanup after Hurricane Idalia, state officials announced. Governments and electric cooperatives in the counties will be eligible for federal aid to pay …

Federal Housing Aid to Help Rebuild from Kentucky Storms

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — An infusion of federal funding will help build hundreds of homes in Kentucky communities devastated by tornadoes and floods in 2021, Gov. Andy Beshear said Wednesday. Four counties hardest hit by the storms – Graves, Warren, …

New Mexicans Affected by Last Year’s Wildfire Get FEMA Aid

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office, charged with administering nearly $4 billion in emergency financial aid for survivors of last year’s record-breaking wildfire in New Mexico, is expected to open its …

US Storm Survivors: We Need Money Faster, Less Red Tape

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) — Survivors of storms that pounded several U.S. states say the nation’s disaster aid system is broken and that they want reforms to get money into victims’ hands faster, with less red tape. On the 10th anniversary …

Congress Passes $19 Billion in Disaster Aid, Sends Bill to Trump

The House cleared a $19 billion disaster-aid plan for areas hit by hurricanes, Midwest floods and California wildfires on Monday after months of negotiations and a final delay of more than a week caused by Republican objections. The bill, passed …

Senate Passes Bill With $1.7B in Disaster Aid

The Senate has passed legislation that would provide $1.7 billion to help residents of the Carolinas and elsewhere recover from recent natural disasters. Lawmakers described the aid for those affected by Hurricane Florence as a down payment and said billions …

Hawaii Plans $550M Request for Disaster Recovery

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim is planning to ask the state Legislature for $550 million for disaster recovery following the effects of the Kilauea volcano eruption. Kim said he discussed a conceptual plan with Gov. David Ige last week, and …

California Governor Seeks Aid as Twin Wildfires Grow, 9,000 Buildings at Risk

Twin wildfires fueled by dry vegetation and hot, windy weather have continued to grow in Northern California. California fire officials said Monday that the two fires about 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of San Francisco were 30 percent contained and …

Cities Still Await 2017 Aid as New Hurricane Season Starts

Allen Owen, the mayor of Missouri City, Texas, wants to do more to protect his town from the next disaster. But the city hasn’t gotten any of the roughly $1 million in federal disaster funds he said it’s owed after …

As Hurricane Season Begins Critics Ask if FEMA is Ready

With just a week to go before hurricane season, top jobs at the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency remain vacant and critics say that will make it harder for the government to respond to disasters. FEMA lacks a second-in-command and …