DES MOINES, IOWA (September 1, 2020) — Governor Kim Reynolds received notification today that 10 additional counties that were impacted by the August 10 derecho have been approved for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual Assistance Program.
Individuals and business owners in Benton, Boone, Cedar, Jasper, Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama counties may now apply for the FEMA Individual Assistance Program. FEMA Individual Assistance can provide disaster-affected homeowners, renters, and businesses with programs and services to maximize recovery, including assistance with housing, personal property replacement, and medical expenses. Linn County was approved for Individual Assistance on August 20.
Residents in the 11 counties approved for the Individual Assistance Program may apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. TTY users can call 800-462-7585.
In her August 16 request for a Presidential Disaster Declaration, the governor had requested a total of 27 counties be approved for Individual Assistance. Through further assessment and validation by the state and FEMA, it was determined 16 of those counties did not have sufficient damage to be approved for the Individual Assistance Program, including nine counties which withdrew from consideration: Audubon, Clarke, Grundy, Iowa, Jackson, Jones, Madison, Muscatine, and Washington.
The Iowa Individual Assistance Grant Program is no longer available in counties where the FEMA Individual Assistance Program has been made available. Visit the Iowa Department of Human Services website at https://dhs.iowa.gov/disaster-assistance-programs for more information.
In addition, damage in eight counties is being validated prior to requesting inclusion in the FEMA Public Assistance Program, providing assistance to public entities and select non-profit organizations. The following counties will likely be submitted in the next few days for approval for Public Assistance Program funding: Greene, Grundy, Guthrie, Hardin, Iowa, Jackson, Keokuk, and Washington. If approved, these counties will join the following 16 counties that were approved for Public Assistance funding on August 17 by President Trump: Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama.
