WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the state of Louisiana to supplement state and local response efforts to the emergency conditions in the area affected by flooding beginning on May 10, 2019, and continuing. The President's action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency...

Mental Health Awareness Month fights stigma and spreads knowledge AUSTIN, Texas — May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and there is no better time to assess your own stress levels and find ways to improve your coping skills. Hurricane Harvey upended Texans’ lives in August 2017, and many are still dealing with the aftermath. Disaster-related stress and trauma can affect survivors for years, especially if they don’t recognize the symptoms and ask for help.  “Anyone who lives through a disaster the magnitude of Hurricane Harvey will be affected by it,” said Paul Morris,...

AUSTIN, Texas – Rebuilding after a disaster can present opportunities as well as challenges. The challenges include getting the job done quickly and efficiently. The opportunities involve rebuilding stronger and better.  When it comes to repairing and rebuilding infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Harvey, FEMA’s Stafford Act Section 406 can provide mitigation funds for risk-reduction during the rebuild. This Section 406 or Public Assistance mitigation can pay for improvements to roads, waterways, bridges, dams, buildings and other public structures already eligible for Public Assistance reimbursement.  Mitigation projects are being undertaken throughout the...

AUSTIN, Texas – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded more than $4.2 million to Brazoria County for evacuations, security and emergency response following Hurricane Harvey.  County personnel evacuated nearly 1,200 people trapped by Harvey’s floodwaters, assisted with search and rescue efforts, sheltered residents and pets and worked traffic control. FEMA funded 100 percent of the projects’ costs because the emergency work was completed within 30 days of the disaster declaration. The grant comes from FEMA’s Public Assistance grant program, which reimburses eligible applicants for actions taken in the immediate response...

FEMA philanthropy team opens window to assistance AUSTIN, Texas — After a disaster like Hurricane Harvey, it takes a village to put a village back together. Thousands of organizations have applied to FEMA for financial help with their recovery, in addition to any insurance payouts and support they have received from their local communities. When that is not enough, organizations can still turn to FEMA for guidance.     “Our role is to assist those entities that are ineligible for state or federal assistance … or to identify funding opportunities when there is a...