ATLANTA – To date, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $171 million in federal disaster assistance to more than 155,000 Georgia households to help them recover from Hurricane Helene.

These funds are helping people pay for a temporary place to stay, home repairs and to replace their personal belongings, among other emergency needs, according to a press release from FEMA.

Nine Disaster Recovery Centers are open across the state, providing residents with one-on-one service to apply for assistance when they need it most, FEMA said. More than 12,700 people have visited these centers to date, and more are expected to open in the coming days and weeks, including mobile locations to meet people where they are. In addition, more than 230 FEMA staff are visiting communities and going door-to door to help individuals and families apply for assistance.

“Thirty days ago, we had roughly 1.1 million people without power, our cell towers were down, roads were flooded out and more than 500 people were in shelters trying to stay safe from the storm,” said Kevin A. Wallace Sr., the federal coordinating officer for Hurricane Helene efforts in Georgia.  “Today, power has been restored, only one shelter remains open, and people are taking steps to rebuild their lives. There is still plenty of work ahead, and FEMA will be here every step of the way.” Learn more at fema.gov/disaster/4830. 

Working closely with the state of Georgia, FEMA efforts on the ground are supporting local community recoveries and prioritizing people’s most critical needs.

“The response to Hurricane Helene demonstrates the strength of our federal and local partnerships. FEMA has come alongside the state in efforts to help our communities regain some normalcy after the storm’s devastating impact,” said the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Chris Stallings. “We encourage all citizens in declared counties who have been affected by Helene to apply for assistance. This support can make all the difference in helping people rebuild their lives.”

FEMA assistance can help jumpstart recovery

FEMA staff in Disaster Recovery Centers and in communities across 30 counties are helping Georgians recover. From coordinating services in a variety of languages, to explaining the application process and connecting families with voluntary agencies and state resources for additional support, FEMA is committed to making sure individuals and families have what they need as they begin their road to recovery.

Georgians with storm-related damage to their home or personal property are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way is online at disasterassistance.gov. People can also call FEMA’s Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, download the FEMA app or visit a Disaster Recovery Center to apply.

Whole of community recovery

To ensure Georgia’s recovery is led by the people who know the area best, FEMA is currently hiring locals to assist with recovery efforts, the agency said. A variety of full-time temporary and permanent positions are available in fields including emergency management, logistics management, information technology and more. People who are interested in joining FEMA can apply online at usajobs.gov or email questions to fema-careers@fema.dhs.gov.

FEMA is working closely with the state as well as its federal and nonfederal partners to ensure Georgia’s recovery is effective and benefits communities, the agency said. Non-profit partners have been providing critical services to Georgians since the storm made landfall – organizations including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, First Baptist Church, Georgia Baptists and Operation BBQ Relief provided more than 568,000 meals and snacks and more than 16,800 relief items like comfort kits and other supplies. More than two dozen Team Rubicon volunteers, known as “GreyShirts” conducted hurricane relief operations in the state including chainsaw work, heavy equipment operations, tarping roofs, and removing debris.

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency is working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to assess and clear debris and is establishing a Debris Removal Task Force to synchronize efforts across all available resources, FEMA said. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering relief assistance to Georgia farmers who are still recovering from the storm, with estimated payments of more than $207 million so far.

FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture collaborated to create a guide to help affected Georgia businesses access multiple federal recovery resources. The guide — tailored to Georgia — is available on FEMA’s website at Help for Businesses in Georgia Impacted by Hurricane Helene.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is helping people without medical insurance to replace prescription medication or certain medical equipment that may have been damaged or lost due to the storm. Georgians can call the Emergency Prescription Assistance hotline at 1-855-793-7470 to learn more or visit aspr.hhs.gov.

Roughly 825 federal and FEMA staff remain on the ground and committed to Georgia’s recovery.

For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery from Hurricane Helene, visit fema.gov/georgia/helene. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.