Biden approves emergency declaration for Florida

President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida ahead of Tropical Storm Helene.

On Tuesday, FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available in Florida to supplement response efforts due to emergency conditions resulting from Tropical Storm Helene, which began on Sept. 23 and will continue beyond the storm’s impact. 

Biden’s declaration “authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe.”

Federal funding is available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care, which include evacuation and shelter support.

In Southwest Florida, this assistance is available for Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties.