Baltimore County, MD Added To Disaster Declaration

HUNT VALLEY, Md. – Baltimore County has been designated for all categories of the Public Assistance (PA) program as part of Maryland’s federal disaster declaration, according to officials from the Maryland State Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The announcement makes federal funding available to local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations in Baltimore County on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Sandy that occurred October 26 through November 4.

Under the cost-share program, FEMA funds at least 75 percent of the cost for eligible work by local governments and certain private non-profit organizations.

Through the PA program, FEMA provides supplemental federal disaster grant assistance for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged, publicly owned facilities and the facilities of certain Private Non-Profit (PNP) organizations. The PA program also encourages protection of these damaged facilities from future events by providing assistance for hazard mitigation measures during the recovery process (known as 406 Mitigation).

This brings the total number of counties designated for Public Assistance to 24. Baltimore County joins Allegany, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties and the Independent City of Baltimore under the disaster declaration signed by President Obama on November 20, 2012.

More detailed information on the Public Assistance program is available at:

• FEMA Public Assistance overview:
  www.fema.gov/government/grant/pa/index.shtm
• Maryland State Emergency Management Agency
  www.mema.maryland.gov

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.