Community Bulletin
A run of power outages across central West Virginia in recent months has homeowners weighing backup options. Crites Electric, a Buckhannon Generac dealer of more than 45 years, installs automatic standby generators that restore power within seconds — no cords, no switches. Read more →
This story brought to you paywall-free, courtesy of the My Buckhannon team and our community partners
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — President Donald J. Trump has agreed to release a minimum of $4.5 million in federal recovery money for West Virginians hit by the July 21 flooding, Governor Patrick Morrisey announced Monday.
Morrisey’s office described the action as approval of West Virginia’s request for expedited Individual Assistance, which makes public money available to eligible homeowners and renters in Lewis and Upshur counties. FEMA is still reviewing damage information from the other five counties in the state’s request, which Morrisey sent to Trump on July 25.
Lewis County Commissioner Agnes Queen said Monday that the announcement should not be mistaken for a formal FEMA declaration.
“That is still pending,” Queen said of the disaster declaration. “This is not the actual declaration because that is determined by ongoing damage assessments, but it is a really good sign and will release money for recovery.”
Officials from the City of Buckhannon and the Upshur County Commission said the specifics of who is eligible and how to apply are still coming.
“Local officials will share additional guidance as FEMA releases details regarding application procedures, eligibility criteria, and timelines for Individual Assistance,” the two agencies said in a joint statement.
Morrisey said more public funds should be forthcoming from the federal government.
“I spoke to President Trump this afternoon and thanked him for acting quickly to approve this request and deliver help to the people of West Virginia,” Morrisey said. “Families in our hardest-hit communities have endured tremendous hardship, and this expedited approval will provide critical assistance as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives. This is an important first step. Approximately $4.5 million is available now, and we expect that amount to grow as additional damage information is reviewed.”
When applications do open, FEMA lists four ways to apply for Individual Assistance: online at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app, by phone at 1-800-621-3362, or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center. Center locations are posted at fema.gov/drc as they open. None are currently available in West Virginia.
FEMA’s application checklist is worth gathering now: a Social Security number, insurance information, a description of the damage, the household’s annual income before taxes, a current phone number and mailing address along with the address of the damaged property, and bank account and routing numbers for anyone who wants the money deposited directly.
The state damage survey that officials have been urging people to fill out is not an application for federal assistance. It documents the scale of the disaster — which, as Queen noted, is what the declaration itself depends on. Residents who want help will have to apply to FEMA separately once the process opens.
Morrisey thanked the state’s congressional delegation — Senators Shelley Moore Capito and Jim Justice and Representatives Carol Miller and Riley Moore — for supporting the request.
FEMA remains on the ground with state and local officials conducting damage assessments, and more assistance may become available as those assessments continue, according to the governor’s office. State Emergency Management staff have been working with FEMA every day to document the damage so West Virginia’s request for further help can be considered quickly.
