One Month of Meeting Survivors Where They Are in Virginia

BRISTOL, Va.- Yesterday marked one month since the White House declared a major disaster in Virginia for Hurricane Helene. Since then, FEMA and the commonwealth of Virginia, along with other partner agencies, have been working to provide resources to survivors on the road to recovery.

16 counties and two independent cities have been designated for Individual Assistance and 36 counties for Public Assistance as of November 1, 2024. The deadline for Individual Assistance is December 2, 2024. To learn more about individual assistance, visit fema.gov/ia.

FEMA staff have been working to reach the whole community. One part of the community outreach includes Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams, who walk door to door to register survivors and answer questions. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams have visited over 26,000 homes in Virginia over the last month. FEMA staff have attended community events across the declared counties and independent cities, spreading the word about disaster assistance. Additionally, FEMA has opened eight Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) throughout southwest Virginia, providing in-person assistance to over 2,600 Virginians to date. Staff from federal, commonwealth, and local agencies are at DRCs to help survivors answer questions about FEMA applications as well as access other resources and support.

Commonwealth, federal, local and nonprofit agencies have collaborated on Agriculture Recovery Resource Days, where over 15 agencies and organizations shared resources with farmers and agribusinesses impacted by Hurricane Helene. Over 100 households attended the first Agriculture Recovery Resource Day on, October. 29 in Independence, Va. At least two additional Agriculture Recovery Resource Days will be held on Nov. 7 and Nov. 9. To learn more about upcoming agriculture events please visit Hurricane Helene Virginia Agriculture Recovery Resource Day | FEMA.gov.

Below are some pictures of FEMA staff in communities throughout southwest Virginia, meeting survivors where they are:

Montgomery County, Va. (Oct. 1, 2024) - A resident describes high water from the New River to a Preliminary Damage Assessment team days after it flooded its banks and into his home. The team, comprised of Montgomery County emergency managers, Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and FEMA was reviewing Montgomery County properties impacted by Tropical Storm Helene.WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va.- A FEMA specialist helps a survivor apply for federal assistance at the Taylors Valley Community Center in Taylors Valley on Oct. 4, 2024. (Philip Maramba/FEMA)WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va.- FEMA staff assisting Hurricane Helene survivors on opening day of the DRC in Damascus. (Philip Maramba/FEMA)GRAYSON COUNTY, Va.- FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance specialists, sharing information about FEMA disaster assistance with a resident in Independence on Oct. 10, 2024. (Nicholas Monteleone/FEMA) Bland, Va. - FEMA staff talk about disaster assistance with attendees of the Bland County Festival of Leaves at a pop-up FEMA Disaster Recovery Center.WYTHE COUNTY, Va.- A FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance specialist, accompanied by FEMA Corps team members, shares application information with a Wythe County resident on Oct. 17. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are making their way through southwest Virginia to help survivors impacted by Helene. (Kelly Magarity/FEMA)WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va.- FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) staff discuss disaster assistance and SBA resources for Helene survivors at a community event on Oct. 19, 2024. (Johannes Webb / FEMA)WASHINGTON COUNTY, Va.- FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance specialist talking to a Helene survivor at a community event on Oct. 19. (Johannes Webb / FEMA)WYTHE COUNTY, Va.- FEMA staff member at the Disaster Recovery Center in Wytheville on Oct. 26, sharing information about FEMA programs. (Johannes Webb / FEMA)WYTHE COUNTY, Va. - FEMA staff handing out Halloween candy and discussing disaster assistance programs at a community event in Wytheville on Oct. 26. (Johannes Webb /FEMA)GRAYSON COUNTY, Va.- FEMA Applicant Service Program specialist assisting a producer at the first Agriculture Recovery Resource Day in Independence on Oct. 29. (Johannes Webb / FEMA)

FEMA encourages Hurricane Helene survivors who have not applied for assistance to do so before the Individual Assistance deadline on December 2. Impacted individuals in the 16 designated counties and two independent cities can apply today by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, using the FEMA mobile app, calling 1-800-621-3362, or visiting a Disaster Recovery Center. A ninth DRC will open on Saturday, November 2 in Galax, Va. and additional locations will open in the coming weeks. Disaster survivors can visit any DRC to receive assistance. To find the DRC closest to you, including addresses and hours, visit FEMA.gov/drc or text DRC and a ZIP code to 43362.

FEMA has set up a rumor response webpage to clarify our role in the Helene response. Visit Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response | FEMA.gov.

For more information on Virginia's disaster recovery, visit vaemergency.gov, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Facebook page , fema.gov/disaster/4831 and facebook.com/FEMA.

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