People in 17 places in Virginia are now eligible for federal assistance in Helene’s recovery

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Dozens of places in Southwest Virginia have been included in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s major disaster declaration, about a month after the remnants of Hurricane Helene devastated the region.

That statement, updated on October 26, opens up federal funding to individuals in seventeen counties recovering from Helene-related damage.

Individuals affected by flooding and wind damage caused by Helene in the following counties can now seek federal assistance: Bedford, Bland, Carroll, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe counties and cities of Galax and Radford.

The deadline for applying for individual assistance is Monday, December 2.

Residents who have suffered Helene-related losses in those counties can begin applying for individual assistance from or https://www.disasterassistance.gov/by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or using the FEMA app.

The federal agency has opened eight disaster recovery centers in Southwest Virginia in the past month, with the ninth expected to open Friday in Galax. Residents can visit FEMA.gov/drc or DRC and text a zip code to 43362 to find the nearest disaster recovery center.

What can FEMA assistance cover?

FEMA may be able to help people in Southwest Virginia affected by Helene to pay for essential items, temporary housing, home repairs and other needs resulting from the disaster. Those other needs may include:

• Essential items such as water, food, first aid, prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, medical supplies and equipment, personal hygiene items, and fuel for transportation;
• Financial assistance to help pay for hotel stays, stays with family and friends, or other options when looking for a rental unit, as well as rental assistance if a person is displaced due to the disaster;
• Repair or replacement of a vehicle, appliances, room furnishings, personal or family computer;
• Books, uniforms, tools, computers and other items needed for school or work, including self-employment; And
• Moving and storage costs, medical costs, childcare and funeral costs.

FEMA also encourages Virginians in the seventeen locations mentioned above to save their income related to repairs and restoration so they can receive reimbursement for those costs. As for home repairs, FEMA may be able to cover the costs of the following:

• The cost of a professional, licensed technician to visit your home and provide an estimate for the repair or replacement of disaster damaged systems and uninsured or underinsured losses, and;
• Costs to rebuild or make basic repairs so that your home is safe, sanitary, and functional. This includes replacing or repairing disaster-damaged:
  • Furnaces, hot water heaters, refrigerators and stoves
  • Leaks in a roof that damage ceilings
  • Subfloors in inhabited parts of the house
  • Broken windows
  • Good and septic system, and;
  • Generators or chainsaws that you have purchased or rented due to storm damage.

As of Tuesday, FEMA has approved more than $8 million in housing and other assistance for more than 2,700 households in Virginia. So far, more than $1.2 billion has been paid out in the U.S. to survivors of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, according to the federal agency.

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