State of Rhode Island Awarded Federal Disaster Declaration External AffairsRhode Island Emergency Management AgencyPress Release State of Rhode Island Awarded Federal Disaster DeclarationFrom Severe Weather in January 2024Cranston, RI – On May 9, 2024, President Joseph Biden approved Rhode Island's request to include Public Assistance (PA) for the Major Disaster Declaration from the severe storms and flooding event from January 9, 2024 – January 13, 2024. The Declaration makes federal funding available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) PA Program. Eligible applicants from Kent, Newport, and Washington Counties can apply. Applicants must prepare and submit an official request for determination of eligibility from FEMA.Eligible municipalities, state agencies, tribal communities, and some private non-profit organizations in the listed counties can apply for reimbursement of costs incurred before, during, and after the severe weather event in January. These costs may include but are not limited to, storm preparedness, debris removal, overtime costs for personnel due to work associated with the weather event, repairs to weather-damaged buildings and infrastructure, and projects to reduce the impact of future damage from similar weather-related events."Whenever and wherever severe weather strikes, my Administration is prepared and ready to support affected residents and communities," said Governor McKee. "Thanks to President Biden and FEMA, these federal funds can help Rhode Islanders and businesses get their lives back on track and help our state move forward.""The FEMA PA Program enables municipalities, state agencies, and certain private non-profit organizations to request reimbursement for the expenses incurred in repairing damages caused by the severe weather event that took place between January 9, 2024, and January 13, 2024," said Marc Pappas, the Director of RIEMA. "The RIEMA Recovery Branch, with the support and assistance of local and state partners, worked diligently to gather and review damage assessments and submitted a request for federal assistance to FEMA. We are grateful and appreciative to have received approval."Additional information will be provided at local Applicant Briefing sessions. The sessions are currently being scheduled with local officials. For updates on Rhode Island’s recovery operations, follow the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency on Twitter (X) twitter.com/RhodeIslandEMA and Facebook facebook.com/RhodeIslandEMA or visit or visit www.riema.ri.gov.For questions, please contact RIEMA at (401) 946-9996.# # #Contact: Armand Randolph (401) 641-8269www.riema.ri.gov PR: 0524-01
Assistance for Severe Weather and Flooding that occurred in December 2023 and January 2024 Residents of Kent, Providence, and Washington counties, who were affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred between December 17-19, 2023, and between January 9-13, 2024, can apply for federal assistance. Homeowners and renters who received property loss or damages by either disaster in those counties have until May 20, 2024, to apply. When applying for assistance, you must describe which damage(s) happened on which date to ensure you’re applying under the correct disaster.FEMA Assistance - There are several ways for homeowners and renters to apply.1. Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at one of the following locations: a. CCRI, Lincoln Campus, (Room 1304), 1762 Louisquisset Pike, Lincoln, RI 02865 (Open: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.) b. Coventry Town Hall Annex, 1675 Flat River Road, Coventry, RI 02879 (Open: 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays.) 2. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Help is available in most languages. 3. Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish).4. Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish) at Google Play or the Apple App Store. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube SBA Assistance - Ways to apply for low-interest disaster loans available to businesses and residents in Rhode Island 1. Visit the Business Recovery Center (BRC) at: North Providence Public Safety Complex 1835 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02904 - Hours of operation: 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. 3. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 4. Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov To view an accessible video on how to apply for SBA visit Reasons to apply for a SBA Loan.
Individual Assistance 3 Steps to Apply for Assistance Familiarize yourself with disaster assistance. After a disaster, the federal government determines if any county in the state meets the criteria for individual disaster assistance (IA). The decision is based on damage related to the severity and magnitude of the event. When a county receives an Individual Assistance declaration from the President of the United States, anyone who lives in that county can apply for assistance. Check if your county is covered by a disaster declaration. Before you apply for assistance, make sure that you have the following information available: Current and pre-disaster addresses Current phone number Social security number Insurance information (homeowners, health, automobile, etc.) Total household income Description of losses Bank account and routing information Apply for assistance. This can be done in various ways: Visit disasterassitance.gov to apply online Use a smartphone at m.fema.gov Call (800) 621-3362 to apply via phone Applying for assistance does not obligate an individual to officially accept assistance. Property owners or tenants are encouraged to register with FEMA as soon as possible after a disaster. Although you may not have any immediate expenses that are not covered by insurance, as cleanup and repairs are done, additional or unexpected damages may be discovered. Write down your claim number. At the end of the registration process, you will be given a claim number. Write this number down and store it in a safe place that is easily accessible. You will need your claim number for any future inquiries you make. Each claim is reviewed on an individual basis and FEMA decides if the request qualifies to receive federal assistance (damages to second homes do not qualify for IA). Even if an individual does not qualify for payment from the federal government, there are other FEMA programs that may be able to help an applicant. Disaster Aid Categories Disaster aid to individuals generally falls into the following categories: Disaster Housing May be available for up to 18 months, using local resources, for displaced persons whose residences were heavily damaged or destroyed. Funding also can be provided for housing repairs and replacement of damaged items to make homes habitable. Disaster Grants Available to help meet other serious disaster-related needs and necessary expenses not covered by insurance and other aid programs. These may include replacement of personal property and transportation, medical, dental, and funeral expenses. Low-Interest Disaster Loans Available after a disaster for homeowners and renters from the U.S. Small Business Administration to cover uninsured property losses. Loans may be available for repair or replacement of homes, automobiles, clothing, or other damaged personal property. Loans are also available to businesses for property loss and economic injury. Other Disaster Aid Programs include crisis counseling, disaster-related unemployment assistance, legal aid and assistance with income tax, Social Security, and Veteran's benefits. Other state or local help may also be available. For more information and help with registering for Individual Assistance, download our Individual Assistance Checklist, or download FEMA's Individual Assistance Resource Page. Individual Assistance Checklist PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes