Agencies 

There are a number of federal agencies that provide assistance during floods.  Below are brief descriptions of the type of assistance provided by different agencies and links to related web sites.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Activating Mechanism: Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act, designated for public assistance.

Objectives: To provide funds to any local government in a designated disaster area that has suffered a substantial loss of tax and other revenue. The local government must demonstrate a need for financial assistance to perform its governmental functions.

Assistance Provided:
1.Loans not to exceed 25 percent of the local government's annual operating budget for the fiscal year in which the major disaster occurs.

2. CRISIS COUNSELING. The purpose of the crisis counseling program is to help relieve any grieving, stress or mental health problems caused or aggravated by the disaster or its aftermath. These short-term services, provided by FEMA as supplemental funds granted to State and local mental health agencies, are only available to eligible survivors of Presidentially-declared major disasters.

3. For immediate housing needs, the American Red Cross and other volunteer agencies set up shelters for people who cannot return to their homes. Listen to your radio or watch local media for the location of the nearest volunteer agency facility. For health and space reasons, pets are not permitted in public emergency shelters. Contact the emergency management office or your local animal shelter or humane society to see if there is a shelter set-up to take pets in an emergency. For those who have longer-term housing needs, FEMA's Disaster Housing Program (DH) offers several types of assistance, including services and grants to help people repair their homes.

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Department of Defense (DoD), Department of the Army, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Office of the Chief of Engineers.

Activating Mechanism: Decision of the Chief of Engineers.

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Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Planning and Development (CPD).

Activating Mechanism: Presidential declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act.
Objectives: To develop viable urban communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- to moderate-income individuals.

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Farm Service Agency (FSA)

Activating Mechanism: Secretary of Agriculture

Objectives: The Farm Service Agency (FSA) can provide emergency loans where property loss or economic injury occur due to a natural disaster that affects farming, ranching or aquaculture operations. Emergency loans will be made to qualified applicants who have suffered qualifying physical and/or production losses in a county named by FEMA as eligible for federal assistance or determined a disaster by the Secretary of Agriculture. Farmers, ranchers and aquaculture operators in counties contiguous to declared or designated counties may also qualify. FSA low-interest loans are available to eligible applicants based on eligibility to overcome effects of a disaster.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

Objectives: The Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest (generally 4 percent or less), long-term (up to 30 years) loans to help homeowners, renters and non-farm businesses recover from a disaster. Loan proceeds may be used to repair or replace disaster damaged property that is not fully covered by insurance. Homeowners may apply for up to $200,000 to repair or replace their primary home to its pre-disaster condition, including required city or county building codes that require structural improvements. The loan may not be used to upgrade the home or make additions to the home. Also, loans may be increased by as much as 20 percent for mitigating devices to protect the real property from possible future disasters of the same kind.

Additional Information

The Federal Response Plan, developed through the efforts of 27 departments and agencies, describes the basic methodology by which the Federal government will mobilize resources and conduct activities to assist Sates in coping with the consequences of significant disasters. Within the Plan, the Department of Defense has designated the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the primary agency for planning, preparedness, and response under the Emergency Support Function #3, Public Works and Engineering. The purpose of this Emergency Support Function is to provide lifesaving or life protecting assistance to augment efforts of the affected State(s) and local response efforts following a major or catastrophic disaster. The process begins by local government identifying their requirements for public works and engineering assistance to the State. If sufficient resources are not available at the State, the requirement will be forwarded to the ESF #3 element in the Disaster Field Office. The Corps will then assign the mission to one of its offices in or near the disaster area to deliver the required Federal assistance.

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