Federal Assistance Deadline Extended for Individuals Impacted by Hurricane Helene

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, Gov. Bill Lee has announced an extension of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individual Assistance (IA) program application deadline for Tennessee residents affected by Tropical Storm Helene. Survivors now have until Tuesday, January 7, 2025, to apply for federal disaster assistance.

“As communities in East Tennessee continue the rebuilding process, we remain focused on ensuring critical resources are available,” said Gov. Lee. “The road to recovery will be long, and I thank our federal partners for granting resources to further severe weather response and recovery.”

Survivors in Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi, and Washington counties are eligible to apply for Individual Assistance to cover temporary housing, essential home repairs, personal property loss, and other disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance.

“We are grateful to have received this deadline extension,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “Recovering from a disaster is a long process, and many families are still in need of assistance. This extension ensures survivors have ample time to take advantage of the assistance available to them.”

All Tennesseans impacted by Tropical Storm Helene are urged to apply for assistance as soon as possible.

FEMA Individual Assistance

FEMA Individual Assistance directly helps disaster survivors with uninsured or underinsured basic critical needs such as returning a home to a safe, sanitary, functional and accessible environment during recovery from a disaster. FEMA cannot provide financial assistance when any other source -- insurance or financial assistance from voluntary agencies – has provided assistance for the same disaster-related need.

Survivors can apply for Individual Assistance:

- Online: Visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

- Phone: Call 1-800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to midnight ET. Multilingual operators are available.

- Mobile App: Download the FEMA app to apply and check the status of your application. - In-Person: Find a Disaster Recovery Center near you.