NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Major Disaster Declaration signed on Jan. 14, 2022, for middle and west Tennessee following damage caused by a line of tornadoes last December was amended Thursday, February 3, to include funding for FEMA Public Assistance (PA), which supplements state and local recovery efforts. Thirteen Tennessee counties are now eligible to receive PA grants to help communities repair and replace damaged infrastructure and buildings.
In addition to FEMA Individual Assistance, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Stewart, Sumner and Weakley counties are now eligible to apply for Permanent Work, Categories A-G. The amendment also approves Decatur and Dyer counties for PA Categories A-G. FEMA considered the results of Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments performed in damaged areas to determine which counties were eligible for PA.
FEMA’s PA program reimburses counties, states, tribes, and certain nonprofit organizations for eligible costs of disaster-related debris removal, emergency protective measures and repair and, under the Permanent Work designation, replacement of disaster-damaged facilities, such as roads, bridges, public utilities, including water treatment and electrical plants, government buildings and parks. This is a cost-sharing program in which FEMA reimburses applicants at least 75 percent of eligible costs. The remaining 25 percent share is covered by the State of Tennessee.
Also, under the Major Disaster Declaration, eligible applicants throughout Tennessee may apply for grants under FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation program. Eligible applicants and sub-applicants include the state, local and tribal governments, and certain private non-profits. Homeowners may participate through their local city or county government.
The 12 Tennessee counties already designated to receive FEMA Individual Assistance under the Major Disaster Declaration are Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Gibson, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Obion, Stewart, Sumner, Weakley, and Wilson counties. The deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance is March 15, 2022.
There are several ways to apply:
- Online at DisasterAssistance.gov,
- Use the FEMA app, which can be easily downloaded to a smartphone, or
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. Specialists are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, seven days a week. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others:
- Update the "Current Phone" field using the relay service phone number
- Add "Relay Service" to the Note box; provide FEMA with your number.
For more information on Tennessee’s disaster recovery, visit www.tn.gov/tema.html and www.fema.gov/disaster/4637. You may also follow FEMA on www.facebook.com/fema and Twitter @FEMARegion4.