Following Hurricane Helene, Alabama made its disaster declaration official on September 26, 2024. Alabama declared a state of emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has activated assistance programs to help those affected by the disaster.
Individual Assistance
Unfortunately, no counties in Alabama have been designated for Individual Assistance at this time. However, as the situation evolves and more assessments are made, this may change. You can find the latest information on Individual Assistance here.
Public Assistance for Alabama Disaster Declations
The emergency declaration has triggered Public Assistance (PA) funding, which is available to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as certain private nonprofit organizations. This funding can be used for emergency work and repairing or replacing disaster-damaged facilities.
The following Alabama counties have been designated for Public Assistance under Category B:
- Autauga (County)
- Baldwin (County)
- Barbour (County)
- Bibb (County)
- Blount (County)
- Bullock (County)
- Butler (County)
- Calhoun (County)
- Chambers (County)
- Cherokee (County)
- Chilton (County)
- Choctaw (County)
- Clarke (County)
- Clay (County)
- Cleburne (County)
- Coffee (County)
- Colbert (County)
- Conecuh (County)
- Coosa (County)
- Covington (County)
- Crenshaw (County)
- Cullman (County)
- Dale (County)
- Dallas (County)
- DeKalb (County)
- Elmore (County)
- Escambia (County)
- Etowah (County)
- Fayette (County)
- Franklin (County)
- Geneva (County)
- Greene (County)
- Hale (County)
- Henry (County)
- Houston (County)
- Jackson (County)
- Jefferson (County)
- Lamar (County)
- Lauderdale (County)
- Lawrence (County)
- Lee (County)
- Limestone (County)
- Lowndes (County)
- Macon (County)
- Madison (County)
- Marengo (County)
- Marion (County)
- Marshall (County)
- Mobile (County)
- Monroe (County)
- Montgomery (County)
- Morgan (County)
- Perry (County)
- Pickens (County)
- Pike (County)
- Randolph (County)
- Russell (County)
- Shelby (County)
- St. Clair (County)
- Sumter (County)
- Talladega (County)
- Tallapoosa (County)
- Tuscaloosa (County)
- Walker (County)
- Washington (County)
- Wilcox (County)
- Winston (County)
Additional designations may follow as assessments continue. The latest information for Alabama disaster declarations and designations can be found here.
How Disaster Declarations Are Made
Disasters are declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act. This allows a state governor or tribal leader to request a federal disaster declaration. FEMA then works with state and tribal governments to assess the damage and determine the appropriate level of assistance.
For more information about the Public Assistance program and how it can help communities recover from Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact, visit the FEMA website or consult their disaster declaration guide.
Stay safe, and be sure to follow local authorities for the latest updates on recovery efforts.
