FEMA Partnering with the Commonwealth of Virginia to Assess Damage from April 15th Storms
For your awareness, FEMA Region III received a request from the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for joint Preliminary Damage Assessments (PDAs) due to flooding, storms, and tornadoes on April 15, 2018. Beginning Monday, April 23, 2018, FEMA Region III staff will support the Commonwealth of Virginia in conducting joint PDAs in Amherst, Campbell, Craig, and Pittsylvania Counties as well as the independent cities of Danville and Lynchburg for Individual Assistance.
These damage assessments are the first step in helping a governor determine whether the scope of damage is beyond what the Commonwealth is capable of handling and if additional federal assistance is needed. Additional assessments may be requested as damage information is received from local officials.
PDAs are an information-gathering process. Information is compiled and provided to the Commonwealth, at which point, the Commonwealth, may decide that a request for federal assistance is warranted. If and when that request is received, FEMA will take the compiled data and other factors into consideration when determining if the needs are beyond the scope of the capacity of the many local, state, and non-profit entities that are engaged in recovery in Virginia.
Individual Assistance provides financial assistance and direct services to eligible individuals and households who have uninsured or underinsured necessary expenses and serious needs. Individual Assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster; it is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts.
FEMA’s support of the Commonwealth of Virginia is in direct accordance with the Robert T. Stafford Act.