INDIANA – President Trump has approved a major disaster declaration for 23 Indiana counties, including Lawrence County, providing crucial federal public assistance following the severe storms and tornadoes that impacted the state from late March into early April.
The 23 Indiana counties approved for federal public assistance are:
- Bartholomew
- Brown
- Clark
- Crawford
- Decatur
- Floyd
- Franklin
- Greene
- Harrison
- Jefferson
- Lawrence
- Madison
- Marshall
- Martin
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Orange
- Owen
- Perry
- Switzerland
- Vanderburgh
- Warrick
- Washington
This declaration allows state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as specific private nonprofit organizations in the approved counties, to receive federal funding through the FEMA Public Assistance Program. This aid will help them repair and replace disaster-damaged facilities and conduct essential emergency work.
Eligible applicants must either own the damaged property or be legally responsible for its maintenance. They are encouraged to contact their county Emergency Management Agency (EMA) for assistance with the application process.
FEMA staff, in collaboration with recovery teams from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), are scheduled to begin meeting with public assistance applicants across the state starting August 5.
While public assistance has been approved, the federal disaster declaration for individual aid was denied on July 28. The IDHS is currently reviewing options to appeal this decision, hoping to secure assistance for individual residents affected by the storms.
