Tag Archives: Hurricane Helene

Biden Administration, News & Photo Features

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in Florida, Georgia, Oct. 2

This update on Biden-Harris Administration’s Hurricane Helene Response is provided by the White House:

President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to mobilize an intensive Federal response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is prioritizing life-saving and life-sustaining response efforts in impacted communities, as well as ensuring people displaced from the storm have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.
 
President Biden has “received praise from Republican governors” as a result of his leadership throughout the response – including speaking to several Republican leaders across the country.

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in Florida

Latest updates as of October 2:

  • The White House has reached out to more than 200 officials across Florida over the last few days to offer support and gauge additional assistance needs.
  • President Biden made additional disaster assistance available to the State of Florida by authorizing an increase in the level of Federal funding for emergency work. Under the President’s order today, Federal funds for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, has been increased to 100 percent of the total eligible costs for 90 days from the start of the incident period.
  • President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the state of Florida, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
    • FEMA assistance in Florida may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
  • Five counties were added for individual assistance in response to Hurricane Helene. Florida homeowners and renters in 22 counties who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.
    • FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Charlotte, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties can apply.
  • FEMA has already approved more than $3 million to help survivors recover.
  • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crews are in Florida neighborhoods helping people apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene.
  • Disaster Recovery Centers are operating in Pinellas, Taylor, Manatee, Sarasota and Hillsborough counties to provide one-on-one help to Floridians affected by Hurricane Helene.
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting debris assessments in four counties and water/wastewater assessments in three counties.
  • The Salvation Army has 29 active mobile feeding units serving meals & distributing supplies in nine counties.
  • The American Red Cross is conducting direct emergency feeding and working with feeding partners to provide distribution in support of partner production
  • Team Rubicon Greyshirts will arrive soon to begin several weeks of muckouts/removal of mud and debris from homes.
  • FEMA awarded an expedited grant of nearly $18.7 million to the State of Florida for emergency protective measures for Hurricane Helene, including search and rescue, search and recovery, patient movement, critical infrastructure and hazardous materials response, emergency operations support and mass care coordination.
  • FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons are working are working with the state to help coordinate voluntary support efforts.
  • EPA is providing a mobile testing lab to assist the state with water sample testing.

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in Georgia

Latest updates as of October 2:

  • Vice President Harris visited Georgia today to receive operational briefings, meet with residents impacted by the storm, and provide updates to local officials on actions that are being taken to support emergency response and recovery efforts in Georgia.
  • The President has approved Governor Kemp’s request for a 100 percent Federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures for three months. This will support the urgent work to address the impacts from debris removal and flooding, and will cover costs of first responders, search and rescue, shelters, mass feeding, and other emergency response activities in this critical time.
  • President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for Georgia, allowing individuals in 41 counties to apply for FEMA assistance. People in these Georgia counties can now apply for assistance with FEMA.
    • People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
  • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are in the field, focusing on shelters where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance.
  • FEMA has already approved more than $663,000 in individual assistance to survivors.
  • Power restoration crews continue working 24 hours a day throughout parts of Georgia. Generators, mutual aid crews and additional power restoration assets are being moved into the hardest hit areas as debris removal allows.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed to Georgia to assist restoration efforts.
  • A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is onsite at the state Emergency Operations Center to coordinate with the state and facilitate any requests for assistance.
  • In Georgia, 520 survivors are staying in eight shelters.
  • The American Red Cross is conducting direct emergency feeding and working with feeding partners to provide distribution in support of partner production.
  • The Salvation Army has 26 active mobile feeding in 10 Georgia counties.
  • Team Rubicon is conducting route clearing operations in Ray City.
  • Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene. 
  • In Georgia 75% of power outages have been restored.
  • Five FEMA Division Supervisors are establishing contact with Georgia Emergency Management Agency Regional Coordinators.
  • FEMA is supporting commodity requests across the state, including water, ice, shelf-stable meals, fuel (gasoline, diesel, propane) and tarps.
  • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are conducting Assess, Inform Report missions. These mission focus on disaster impacts to the community and reflect emerging or critical issues impacting the community such as infrastructure and public services. These data points are issues that could affect most if not all survivors in the community.
  • Ten American Red Cross shelters are open with a population of 513. Shelters are in Brooks, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Lanier, Lowndes, McDuffie, Pierce, Richmond, and Treutlan counties
  • Two animal shelters are open including one American Red Cross shelter in Cook County.
Biden Administration, Climate Change, News & Photo Features

FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-Harris Continues Life-Saving Response Efforts in Response to Hurricane Helene

Today, President Biden is announcing 1,000 active-duty troops will be immediately deployed to assist with response and recovery efforts

As part of a coordinated response to the devastation of Hurricane Helene, President Biden  announced he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com via MSNBC

This fact sheet of the Biden-Harris administration’s continued life-saving response to the devastation of Hurricane Helene is provided by the White House:

President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to mobilize an intensive Federal response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is prioritizing life-saving and life-sustaining response efforts in impacted communities, as well as ensuring people displaced from the storm have prompt access to Federal resources that will enable them to both purchase essential items and begin their road to recovery and rebuilding.
 
As part of this coordinated response, today, President Biden is announcing he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support the delivery of food, water, and other critical commodities to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. The announcement is effective immediately, and these forces will be available for deployment starting today. This action will provide additional manpower and logistics capabilities, enabling FEMA and other interagency partners to reach the hardest hit areas as quickly as possible.
 
This comes as the President is traveling today to North Carolina and South Carolina. In Western North Carolina, he will survey areas impacted by Hurricane Helene by air, receive operational briefings, and meet with first responders and local officials. He will also meet with first responders and officials in South Carolina. The President will also visit Florida and Georgia in the coming days. The Vice President will travel to Georgia today and North Carolina in the coming days.
 
Yesterday, President Biden received a briefing from his Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall and leaders across his Administration, including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan, Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks, Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Don Graves, Department of Energy Deputy Secretary David Turk, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer LTG William H. (Butch) Graham Jr., Small Business Administration Deputy Administrator Dilawar Syed, Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie, and Department of Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell.
 
Additional updates on the Administration’s response efforts include:
 
Mobilizing Defense Department Resources to Support Prompt and Effective Hurricane Response
 
Today, the President is announcing he has directed the Department of Defense to deploy up to 1,000 active-duty soldiers to support response efforts. These soldiers are part of an Infantry Battalion Task Force, based out of Fort Liberty, North Carolina, which includes a Forward Support Company with the necessary support structure (fuel, water, mechanics, etc.) to conduct operations.
 
These soldiers are in addition to the support the Department of Defense is already providing to FEMA for the response to Hurricane Helene including:

  • US Army and US Navy helicopters, soldiers, and sailors to provide critical capability to move personnel and supplies in areas where access via roads is not available or viable.
    • US Air Force aircraft, helicopters, and airmen to provide search-and-rescue capabilities.
    • US Army soldiers and high wheeled vehicles to move personnel and supplies over roads and terrain damaged or impassable to normal vehicles.
    • The Army Corps of Engineers is supporting with response efforts with Temporary Power Teams and subject matter experts to support for debris removal, water and wastewater management, and bridge inspections. 

At the President’s direction, the Department of Defense has activated 22 helicopters to aid in search and rescue operations and provided dozens of high-water vehicles. The National Guard, in its state capacity, is also aiding these efforts. 700 National Guard from North Carolina are supporting debris removal, air lifts, and search and rescue. They are accompanied by National Guard from eight additional states under Emergency Mutual Assistance Compacts, with helicopters and rescue vehicles to further assist with road clearance, commodities, transport, and search and rescue.

Although not operating under Department of Defense authority, over 6,000 National Guard personnel from 12 states are spearheading the response effort across the impacted region in support of their Governors, providing critical life-saving and life-sustaining support to the victims of this unprecedented natural disaster.

Supporting On-The-Ground Response and Emergency Efforts

More than 4,800 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting state-led response efforts across the region. FEMA and other agencies have more than 1,200 personnel in North Carolina, with more resources and staff arriving daily.

Search and rescue efforts by state, local, and Federal partners are ongoing, and nearly 600 additional personnel are arriving in the region in the coming days, increasing the total number of Urban Search and Rescue personnel to over 1,250.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declared Public Health Emergencies for South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. These declarations give the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. HHS has established a National Disaster Medical System medical treatment site at the Mission Hospital campus in Asheville and Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pines, North Carolina. HHS Health and Medical Task Force Teams are supporting state medical needs shelters in Hickory and Mills Springs, North Carolina. An HHS Incident Management Team is working closely with state officials to identify health care needs including in rural communities and areas which may be cut off from transportation systems. HHS has also deployed two Disaster Mortuary Assistance Team (DMAT) to assist state mortuary services in mortuary care of victim identification. HHS has made 9 DMAT teams available nationwide. Additionally, 200 Federal ambulances have been provided to North Carolina.

In total, FEMA has shipped over 8.5 million meals, more than 7 million liters of water, 150 generators and over 220,000 tarps to aid response efforts for this historic storm.

Restoring Power and Communications to Impacted Communities

Power outage numbers are improving as restoration teams from across the nation gain access to communities and debris is removed, although much more work remains to bring power back to badly impacted areas across the region. As of this morning, approximately 1.6 million customers are still without power, which is a reduction of more than 65% from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.

In addition to intensive efforts to restore power, crews are working around the clock to restore cell service and communications to impacted communities. FEMA, the FCC, and private telecommunications providers are working together to help restore temporary communications as quickly as possible by establishing temporary cell sites and allowing for roaming where possible, where a resident can connect to any network available, even if they aren’t subscribed to that network.

FEMA has provided 50 Starlink satellite systems to help with responder communications and 65 satellite phones have been shipped to assist with communications.

Restoring Road Access

The Department of Transportation activated its 24-hour toll-free Routing Assistance Hotline to provide routing assistance for first responders conducting relief missions. The Hotline supports the movement of Federal, state, local, Tribal, and Territorial response personnel and contractors, equipment, and goods by providing recommended safe routes using a variety of data sources. To reach the Hotline, responders can call 511 from their mobile phones or 833–99-ROADS (833-997-6237).  The Department of Transportation also announced that with the President’s approval of Emergency Disaster Declarations it has initiated a 14-day period of emergency regulatory relief from Federal Motor Carrier Safety regulations, including maximum driving time for property- and passenger-carrying vehicles from the date of declaration. This allows truck drivers to get essential supplies to affected areas. 

Extending Housing Aid to Impacted Families

Following President Biden’s approval of a Major Disaster declaration in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) began implementing supplemental assistance, which includes a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures of FHA-insured mortgages and mortgages guaranteed under the Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program, as well as an automatic 90-day extension for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages.

Anyone whose home has been destroyed or severely damaged is also eligible to apply for HUD mortgage insurance. HUD is also enabling homeowners to finance rehabilitation and repairs for damaged homes.

To support households and communities through disaster recovery, HUD will provide Housing Counseling assistance and offer waivers and additional flexibilities to Public Housing Agencies, Tribes, and recipients of designated federal funding to allow communities to use existing resources to aid in response and recovery efforts. Additionally, HUD offered a suite of waivers and alternative requirements to allow impacted communities to use existing community development and homelessness assistance funds to aid in response and recovery efforts.  

Approving Additional Emergency Assistance

President Biden has now also approved Major Disaster Declarations for Georgia and Virginia, allowing individuals in 41 counties in Georgia and 6 in Virginia to apply for FEMA assistance. Administration officials are in touch with Georgia emergency management officials, and based on their ongoing assessments of impacts on the ground, FEMA is in the process of approving federal assistance for additional counties. This is in addition to approving Major Disaster declarations for Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina earlier in the weekend.

To date, more than $10 million in Individual Assistance has been provided to survivors who have been affected by Hurricane Helene, and we expect that number to increase over the coming days. In North Carolina, through the expedited Serious Needs Assistance program, FEMA has paid out more than $1 million to over 1,400 households in less than 24 hours.

FEMA assistance in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia can include a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. After registering for disaster assistance, individuals may also qualify to receive disaster-related financial assistance to repair storm-related damage to homes and replace personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are deployed to Florida and North Carolina to help survivors register for disaster assistance, visiting shelters and going door to door to help people get Federal assistance where they need it as quickly as feasible.

Biden Administration, Climate Change, News & Photo Features

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration’s Continued Response to Hurricane Helene, State by State Update

President Joe Biden gives an update on the federal response to the devastating havoc caused by Hurricane Helene © Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com via MSNBC

This update Biden-Harris Administration’s continued response efforts after the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Helene across multiple states for days, one of the deadliest storms ever to hit is provided by an administration official.

The National Weather Service reported Helene made landfall in the Big Bend area of the Florida Gulf Coast as a Category 4 storm late in the evening of September 26, 2024.  Although slowly weakening as it moved north across the Deep South and then northwestward across the southern Appalachians, Helene caused significant impacts across a large portion of the Southeast U.S., especially around the southern Appalachians. It brought record wind and rain, lines of tornadoes.

While FEMA has attributed Helene’s severity to the ongoing climate crisis, Donald Trump dismisses climate change as a “scam” and didn’t mind disrupting rescue and recovery efforts underway in order to showboat a photo opp in a devastated Georgia community, actually lying about the Biden-Harris administration’s response and outreach to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and others and charging that the Biden administration discriminates against sending disaster aid to red states (which is what Trump did throughout his presidency. And be reminded that Trump pressured Speaker Johnson to shutdown government unless he got a law requiring voters to prove their citizenship attached to the budget authorization, which would have left these communities without any assistance whatsoever. Trump is the last one to criticize federal response when his “help” to Puerto Rico after devastating Hurricane Maria was to toss paper towels and give the contract to rebuilt the power infrastructure to a Montana crony.

Trump advocates shutting down NOAA, the Weather Service and Hurricane Preparedness (because they provide evidence of human-caused climate change). Trump, who pulled the US out of the Paris Climate Accord in his first term and reversed Obama’s climate initiatives) also promised Big Oil donors that if they ponied up $1 billion, he would reverse Biden’s historic climate actions, and his answer to everything from inflation to housing affordability is “drill baby, drill.”

In contrast, “Vice President Kamala Harris canceled her West Coast campaigning and headed straight to FEMA headquarters in DC to do what she’s always done — confront the existential threat of climate change head-on. Through her unwavering support for the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 infrastructure law, Harris has championed investments in environmentally friendly programs and resources, showcasing a dedication to safeguarding our planet for future generations,” the progressive organization Indivisible writes.

“Trump’s legacy of environmental deregulation and his current ambitions to dismantle vital agencies like the National Weather Service pose a direct threat to our nation’s ability to respond to climate-related disasters — such actions would leave us blindsided in the face of future crises, rendering the unconscionable notion of being unprepared a reality.”

The Biden-Harris Administration continues to lead a robust Federal response to help impacted communities in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The Administration is working around the clock and mobilizing every resource available to support life-saving response efforts in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida.
 
The President and Vice President continue to receive regular briefings from their teams, including today, and Administration officials remain in constant communication with state and local officials to ensure they have the support and resources they need. President Biden has spoken with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster, and Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, along with other state and local officials in the impacted areas to offer further assistance as needed. This afternoon, the President was briefed by Governor Cooper and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell from the field following surveys of Helene’s impacts across the State. Vice President Harris also received an in-person briefing at FEMA today and has been in touch with Governor Cooper, Governor Kemp, Greenville Mayor Knox White, and Savannah Mayor Van Johnson.
 
President Biden directed Administrator Criswell to determine what more can be done to accelerate delivering support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities. At the President’s direction, Administrator Criswell has been on the ground to survey damage and determine any unmet needs, and at the President’s direction she will remain on the ground in Asheville, North Carolina, until the situation has stabilized.

An administration official provided this update as of October 1:

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in North Carolina

Latest updates as of October 1:

  • At the Direction of President Biden, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell is in North Carolina and will remain there until the situation has stabilized. FEMA and other agencies have more than 1,200 personnel in North Carolina, with more resources and staff arriving daily.
    • President Biden plans to visit North Carolina on Wednesday to survey the damage, receive a briefing at the State Emergency Operations Center and participate in an aerial tour of Asheville.Yesterday, the White House reached out to over 130 officials in North Carolina and Georgia.
    • After President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for North Carolina over the weekend, people in 25 counties in North Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA. More counties may be declared in these states as damage assessments continue.
  • People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
    • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are deployed to North Carolina to help survivors register for disaster assistance, answer questions and help people jumpstart their recovery. Team members will be visiting shelter locations to help survivors without cell service or power be able to begin their application.
    • FEMA assistance in may include funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance for a temporary place to stay.
    • Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.
  • Power restoration crews continue working 24 hours a day throughout parts of North Carolina. Generators, mutual aid crews and additional power restoration assets are being moved into the hardest hit areas as debris removal allows.
    • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services teams are working in North Carolina, one team started emergency department decompression at Mission Hospital in Asheville and is treating patients. Another team is moving to Blue Ridge Regional Hospital in Spruce Pine to support emergency department decompression mission. Additionally, 200 federal ambulances have been provided to the state.
    • With 10 search and rescue teams on the ground, another nine teams are arriving today for more than 900 personnel to assist with these efforts. 
    • Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued or supported more than 1,130 in North Carolina.
    • The U.S. Coast Guard crews have saved 21 lives and five pets in the response so far, with rescues continuing in North Carolina.
    • The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed to North Carolina to assist restoration efforts.
    • Two FEMA Incident Management Assessment Teams are in North Carolina. The team will coordinate directly with the state to facilitate requests for assistance.
    • So far, 25 trailer-loads of meals and 60 trailers-loads of water have been delivered to the state to support response efforts. More trailer loads of meals and water will be delivered in the coming days.
    • A C-17 cargo plane full of food, water and other commodities has arrived at the forward operating base in Asheville, with a daily flow of commodities established via air bridge.
    • There are 29 shelters open with over 1,000 occupants. 
    • 40 Starlink satellite systems are available to help with responder communications and an additional 140 satellites are being shipped to assist with communications infrastructure restoration.
    • One Starlink will be deployed per county EOC to assist with communications and continuity of government.
    • Generators are moving from Charlotte-Mecklenberg to Asheville, with another 30 generators enroute to the staging base in Mecklenburg.
    • Disaster Medical Assistance Teams are in Asheville providing emergency room medical support at hospitals.
    • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are going to the field, focusing on shelters, where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance.
    • The Salvation Army is coordinating with county emergency management agencies and partner organizations. North Carolina’s Incident Management Team is activated, with two canteens in Boone and Buncombe County.

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in Georgia

Latest updates as of October 1:

  • President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for Georgia, allowing individuals in 41 counties to apply for FEMA assistance. More counties may be declared as damage assessments continue.
  • People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
  • Yesterday, the White House reached out to over 130 officials in North Carolina and Georgia.
    • Power restoration crews continue working 24 hours a day throughout parts of Georgia. Generators, mutual aid crews and additional power restoration assets are being moved into the hardest hit areas as debris removal allows.
    • FEMA supplied over 500,000 meals primarily to Macon-Bibb County. 
    • FEMA is trucking in 2,500 gallons of gasoline a day to help alleviate potential fuel issues in hard hit communities. 
    • The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed to Georgia to assist restoration efforts.
    • A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is onsite at the state Emergency Operations Center to coordinate with the state and facilitate any requests for assistance.
    • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are going to the field, focusing on shelters, where they will assist survivors in applying for assistance.
    • The American Red Cross, in coordination with FEMA and the Department of Health and Human Services are supporting shelter operations.  Eight shelters are open, supporting 519 survivors.
    • FEMA and the Federal Communications Commission are working with commercial carriers to augment or have telecommunication systems restored.
    • USDA’s Farm Service Agency personnel are traveling to impacted areas to extend emergency credit to farmers and agriculture producers who lost crops and livestock. 
    • The Salvation Army is coordinating with county emergency management agencies and partner organizations. In Georgia, meal services are underway in Valdosta, Alma, Vidalia, with six units serving Chatham County and Augusta.

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in Florida

Latest updates as of October 1:

  • The White House has reached out to more than 200 federal, state, and local officials across Florida over the last few days to offer support and gauge additional assistance needs.
    • FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams are in Florida neighborhoods and shelters helping people apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Helene.
    • Two FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams are onsite at the state Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to coordinate with the state and facilitate any requests for assistance.
    • 30 FEMA Division Supervisors are embedded in 21 Florida county Emergency Operations Centers.
    • All federal Urban Search and Rescue teams have been released from the state to assist other affected states, specifically the Asheville area in North Carolina.
    • Disaster Recovery Centers are operating in Hillsborough, Manatee and Sarasota counties to provide one-on-one help to Floridians affected by Hurricane Helene.
    • On September 28, President Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the state of Florida, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
  • FEMA assistance in Florida may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
    • Florida homeowners and renters in 17 counties who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.
    • FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor and Wakulla counties can apply.

Biden-Harris Administration Updates on Hurricane Helene Response in South Carolina

Latest updates as of October 1:

  • President Biden has spoken with South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.
    • President Biden approved a Major Disaster declaration for South Carolina this weekend, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. 
  • FEMA assistance in South Carolina may include a one-time $750 payment to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. After registering for disaster assistance, individuals may also qualify to receive disaster-related financial assistance to repair storm-related damage to homes and replace personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
    • Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Hurricane Helene.
    • People in 13 counties in South Carolina can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in four ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362, on the FEMA App, or via disaster recovery centers.
  • Emergency declarations were also approved for South Carolina. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
    • A FEMA Incident Management Assistance Team is onsite at the state Emergency Operations Center in Columbia to coordinate with the state and facilitate any requests for assistance.
    • HHS declared a public health emergency for South Carolina to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene.
    • Two Urban Search and Rescue teams are working near Greenville and Pickens.
    • 10 shelters are open with a total of 63 survivors seeking shelter there. Additionally, there are 10 medical shelters active in the state.

On Wednesday, President Biden will travel to North Carolina. He will also travel to Georgia and Florida as soon as possible.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring an additional weather disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that has the potential to form into another storm in the coming week. Residents throughout the Gulf Coast should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.