Designated Areas: Disaster 1553
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Individual Assistance
Individuals and households in these designated counties are eligible to apply for financial and direct services. Apply for assistance, or learn more about the Individual Assistance program.
- Alamance (County)
- Alleghany (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Caswell (County)
- Davidson (County)
- Forsyth (County)
- Graham (County)
- Guilford (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Polk (County)
- Randolph (County)
- Rockingham (County)
- Rutherford (County)
- Stokes (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Wilkes (County)
- Yancey (County)
Public Assistance
State, local, tribal and territorial governments and certain private-non-profit organizations in these designated counties are eligible for assistance for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities. Learn more about the Public Assistance program.
PA
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-A
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Polk (County)
- Rutherford (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-B
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Polk (County)
- Rutherford (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-C
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-D
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-E
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-F
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-G
- Alamance (County)
- Ashe (County)
- Avery (County)
- Buncombe (County)
- Burke (County)
- Caldwell (County)
- Haywood (County)
- Henderson (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- McDowell (County)
- Mitchell (County)
- Swain (County)
- Transylvania (County)
- Watauga (County)
- Yancey (County)
PA-H
None
How a Disaster Gets Declared
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act states in part that: "All requests for a declaration by the President that a major disaster exists shall be made by the governor of the affected state or territory, or by the tribal leader."
Visit our How a Disaster Gets Declared page for detailed information on the rules and procedures that guide the process, including:
- Requirements governors/leaders follow when submitting their request for a presidential disaster declaration.
- Authorities granting federally recognized Indian tribal governments the option to request a presidential emergency or major disaster declaration.
- How FEMA regional offices work with state or Indian tribal governments to conduct Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs).
- Factors that determine when individual assistance is made available.