Indiana assessing storm damage: Why officials say don’t apply for FEMA help yet

INDIANAPOLIS (FREE PRESS INDIANA) — The federal government has approved up to $5 million in emergency assistance for Indiana following last week’s historic storm damage and flooding – but that doesn’t cover funding for individuals, only local and state response efforts.

In order to get Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance for uninsured or underinsured Hoosiers, the state has to seek a major disaster declaration, which Gov. Mike Braun says officials are doing.

But Braun warned that assistance is “not offered very often.”

FEMA officials are working with state leaders this week to assess damages from last week’s storms, Braun said Monday.

In the next two days, the state will use those assessments to apply for the major disaster declaration, which could open up long-term federal funding programs for direct individual assistance and public assistance for repairing infrastructure. Braun said the state should know more within 7-10 days.

Individual assistance would provide money for temporary housing, food, home repairs, replacing essential personal property, vehicle repairs, medical bills, moving costs and infant c...