EMERGENCY Presidential Declarations: What Does This Mean For Me?

Limited to immediate and short-term assistance, essential to save lives, protect public health and safety and property. 

Individual Assistance: NONE

Public Assistance*may include:

• Emergency work:
• • debris removal (Category A)
  • emergency protective measures
    (Category B).
• Public Assistance for repair/replacement of public facilities (Categories C-G) is not authorized.
• Direct federal assistance may be provided by other federal agencies with or without reimbursement from FEMA.
• Coordination role.
• Technical assistance.
• FEMA pays 75 percent of the costs; state/local governments pay 25 percent. 

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program is not authorized under an emergency declaration.

Limited to $5 million. If limit is exceeded, the president must report to Congress on the nature and extent of continuing emergency assistance requirements.

* Public Assistance categories are for Emergency Work ( A - debris removal; and B - emergency protective measures) and for Permanent Work ( C - road systems and bridges; D - water control facilities; E - buildings, contents and equipment; F - utilities; and G - parks, recreational and other facilities).

¿Emergency¿ is any occasion or instance in which the president determines that federal assistance is needed to supplement state and local efforts to save lives and protect property and public health and safety or to avert the threat of a catastrophe in any part of the United States.