After completing damage assessments following Hurricane Isaias, it has been determined that Escambia County and the City of Pensacola meet the threshold for the state to request a presidential disaster declaration for FEMA Public Assistance and Individual Assistance due to the level of damage sustained from the storm.
Both types of assistance require a presidential disaster declaration in order to move forward. The State damage assessment teams have submitted Escambia County's damage assessments to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has passed them on to the President's Office to request a presidential disaster declaration for Hurricane Isaias.
Escambia County has completed all of the necessary steps to be ready to receive FEMA assistance and will provide updates to the public as soon as more information is available.
About Public Assistance (PA) and Individual Assistance (IA)
There are two main types of assistance FEMA may provide following a presidential disaster declaration: Individual Assistance and Public Assistance. The two programs are funded independently from each other and are intended to benefit individuals and communities in different ways.
Public Assistance
Public Assistance provides assistance to local governments following a presidential disaster declaration. This assistance covers reimbursement funding for emergency protective measures and debris removal, along with permanent restoration of damaged facilities in designated areas, including cost-effective hazard mitigation to protect the facilities from future damage.
Individual Assistance
Individual Assistance helps survivors directly to assist those who have uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs. The assistance is meant to return a home to a safe, sanitary and functional residence. Please note, federal assistance cannot duplicate the benefits provided by other sources, such as insurance, and cannot pay for all losses caused by a disaster.
To learn more about FEMA Individual Assistance vs. Public Assistance, click here.
Stay tuned to myescambia.com for updates throughout Hurricane Isaias recovery.
The mission of Escambia County government is to provide efficient, responsive services that enhance our quality of life, meet common needs and promote a safe and healthy community.
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