State and local governments, community, and volunteer organizations in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, and Sharp counties affected by the May 24-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding may be eligible for Public Assistance Grants through FEMA.
In addition, houses of worship and other private nonprofit organizations may be eligible for FEMA Public Assistance to help pay for emergency protective measures, debris removal and restoration of facilities damaged by the severe storms.
Filing a Request for Public Assistance, or RPA, is the first step to apply for federal reimbursements under FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program. All state agencies and private nonprofit organizations that believe they qualify for assistance under the Public Assistance program are encouraged to apply.
Prospective applicants can contact their county’s emergency management to begin the process.
Public Assistance dollars pay for Emergency Work and Permanent Work.
- Emergency Work is work that must be completed immediately following a disaster to save lives, protect public health and safety, protect improved property, or eliminate or lessen an immediate threat of additional damage. Emergency work is divided in two categories:
- Debris Removal: clearing, removing, and disposing of debris when doing so is in the public interest.
- Debris may include damaged cars and boats as well as vegetative debris, construction and demolition debris, sand, dirt, gravel, pebbles, and boulders.
- Emergency Protective Measures conducted before, during, and after an incident are eligible if the measures:
- Eliminate or lessen immediate threats to lives, public health, or safety, OR
- In a cost-effective manner, eliminate or reduce immediate threats of significant additional damage to improved public or private property.
- Debris Removal: clearing, removing, and disposing of debris when doing so is in the public interest.
- Permanent Work is the restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Nonprofits (PNP). Permanent work is divided in five (5) categories:
- Roads and Bridges
- Roads may be gravel or dirt
- Water Control Facilities
- Dams and reservoirs, levees and floodwalls, aqueducts
- Buildings and Equipment
- Buildings including all structural and non-structural components, including mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems; contents and equipment within the building; and furnishings.
- Equipment includes vehicle and construction equipment.
- Utilities
- Water storage facilities, power generation, sewage collection
- Communication systems
- Parks, Recreational, Other
- Mass transit, beaches, boat docks, etc.
- Other facilities that do not fit in the previously mention categories.
- Roads and Bridges
Under the PA program, FEMA provides funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs of repair or replacement of public facilities and the applicant covers the remaining 25 percent. The state administers the federal funds and forwards them to the eligible applicant that incurred the costs.
For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4788. Follow the FEMA Region 6 X account at X.com/FEMARegion6 or on Facebook at facebook.com/FEMARegion6/.