Latest FEMA Headlines
All the headlines from our FEMA Topic Page, ordered by recency.
The ‘Waffle House Index’ Helps Residents, FEMA Gauge a Storm’s Severity
Oct 16 2024 // Golden hashbrowns, gravy-smothered biscuits and crispy waffles with a hearty helping of maple syrup are among the classic Southern comfort foods. But when hurricanes tear through Southeastern towns, the hot meals and bold...
If Flood Insurance Lapsed, FEMA Extends Grace Period to Renew Policies
Oct 15 2024 // WASHINGTON (AP) — Residents in the states hit by Hurricane Helene who had coverage through the federal flood insurance program but let it lapse before the storm hit may be able to renew it and still be covered from the...
FEMA Doesn’t Have Enough Funding to Last Through Hurricane Season, Mayorkas Warns
Oct 4 2024 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency can meet immediate needs but does not have enough funding to make it through the hurricane season, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters Wednesday. The agency...
FEMA Approves $61M For Iowans Affected by Spring Flooding and Severe Storms
Aug 13 2024 // FEMA announced last week it has approved more than $61 million for Iowa residents who experienced damage from this spring’s flooding, severe storms and tornadoes. FEMA said has provided $56 million in Individual...
FEMA Gives SW Florida a Few More Months on Flood Insurance Discounts
Jul 23 2024 // Communities in southwest Florida will continue to enjoy discounts on National Flood Insurance, at least for now, after federal authorities granted a temporary reprieve to punitive actions taken over inappropriate...
Vermonters Urged to Report Flood Damage From Beryl to State for FEMA Determination
Jul 19 2024 // Vermont’s governor on Tuesday urged residents to report any damage from last week’s flooding to the state, even if they plan to do repairs themselves, so that counties can meet the threshold for individual...
Coalition Asks FEMA to Make Wildfire Smoke, Extreme Heat Eligible for Disaster Funds
Jul 18 2024 // A group of 14 attorney generals has formed a coalition to persuade the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to initiate rulemaking to update its regulations to recognize extreme heat and wildfire smoke events as...
Disaster-Struck Cities Fight for Aid as FEMA Funding Runs Low
Jul 17 2024 // A once in 200-years storm dumped 11 inches of rain over four hours on the central Massachusetts town of Leominster in September, washing away culverts, creating a sinkhole that swallowed cars at a dealership and flooding...
Viewpoint: FEMA Flood Rule Will Lead to Safer Rebuilding Post-Disaster
Jul 16 2024 // FEMA issued a new rule that will increase the nation’s resilience to future flood disasters. The rule is amongst the first adopted by a federal agency that will require federally funded projects to be sited and...
Biden Administration Raises FEMA Bar for Flood Resilience
Jul 11 2024 // The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has finalized a rule mandating that projects built using its funds not only take into account previous and current levels of local flood risk, but for the first time...
FEMA Is Ready for Hurricane and Wildfire Seasons, but Money a Concern
Jun 24 2024 // The head of the Homeland Security Department said Friday that the agency tasked with responding to disasters across the country is prepared as it goes into what is expected to be an intense hurricane and wildfire season...
Cape Coral Says FEMA Giving More Time on Questioned Rebuilding Info After Ian
Apr 23 2024 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency has granted the city of Cape Coral a 30-day extension to provide more information on rebuilding in the area after Hurricane Ian. The announcement came Monday, three weeks after FEMA...
FEMA: SW Florida Stripped of Flood Insurance Discounts After ‘Improper Rebuilds’
Apr 1 2024 // After spiking premiums, nonrenewals and complaints about unpaid claims, more than 115,000 property owners in southwest Florida are now facing a new slap in the face after 2022’s Hurricane Ian: 25% higher flood...
FEMA Adds $575M Reinsurance Coverage for NFIP
Mar 11 2024 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) late last week said that for the seventh time it went to the insurance-linked securities reinsurance markets to secure $575 million in coverage for the National Flood...
Newer, Elevated Structures Had Much Smaller Flood Claims in Ian, FEMA Says
Feb 6 2024 // Hurricane Ian caused extensive damage in southwest Florida, with more than 37,000 National Flood Insurance Program claims, making it the fourth-most expensive flood disaster in U.S. history, says a new report from the...
New FEMA Rules Aim to Cut the Red Tape of Disaster Recovery
Jan 22 2024 // Anyone who has lived through a natural disaster and then applied to the federal government for assistance knows that it can be a lengthy, frustrating and bureaucratic process. New rules announced Friday by the federal...
FEMA Adds Nearly $620M to Reinsurance Program
Jan 8 2024 // FEMA announced that the agency is transferring $619.5 million more of the National Flood Insurance Program’s financial risk to the private reinsurance market as part of its 2024 reinsurance placement. The 2024...
FEMA Raises Federal Cost Share to 90% of Eligible Hurricane Ian Recovery in Florida
Oct 26 2023 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency has raised the federal cost share for funding assistance, potentially making millions more dollars available to Florida authorities for Hurricane Ian recovery efforts in Florida, the...
FEMA Sets Up Free Legal Help for Florida Idalia Victims
Oct 2 2023 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that free legal assistance is now available to help Hurricane Idalia victims in Florida with insurance claims, government benefits and other matters. For people in 16...
FEMA Disaster Aid Now Available in Maine for June Flooding
Sep 8 2023 // The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Maine to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm and...
