How do I get assistance for storm damages?

January 2024 Storms -
Were you affected by the storms on January 9th and 13th?

A major disaster was declared for these storms on March 20, 2024; Cumberland County is eligible for assistance under the Public Assistance and Individual Assistance programs.

If you are an individual who suffered damages during these storms, please register for the Individual Assistance program in one of the following ways:

1. Online at DisasterAssistance.gov
2. By phone at (800) 621-3362
3. In person at a Disaster Recovery Center - to find the one nearest you, visit fema.gov/drc

For more information about Individual Assistance, please visit https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4764#help-families

There are several post-disaster assistance programs available to the community, and there is a different reporting tool for each of the following groups to contribute their initial damage assessments.

Which assistance program fits your needs?

Individuals and Households: Individual Assistance Program

Individuals or households who have suffered damage to their primary residence should report those damages as soon as possible using the online application below. This Initial Damage Assessment helps to determine whether the Individual Assistance Program will become available.

The Individual Assistance Program supports individual residents or households with fixing damage to their home, temporary lodging, and some belongings or medical equipment. It applies to an individual’s primary residence if uninsured or underinsured. It does not include secondary buildings, fences, docks, or debris.

Individual residents and households are encouraged to submit initial damage assessments using the online or mobile-friendly tool at the link below:

Maine Individual/Household Initial Damage Assessment form (online)

This link will take you to a survey form that you can use with an internet browser, or by downloading the ArcGIS Survey123 mobile app. Using the mobile app supports taking damage photos directly from the survey form. If you use the app on an internet browser, you can upload existing damage photos into the survey.

If you fill out the Initial Assessment Form, there is no guarantee that you will get assistance. Please watch the news and social media sites for news that a Disaster Declaration was made. If a Disaster Declaration is made, individuals still have to register and apply for assistance with FEMA at www.disasterassistance.gov.

If you have problems with the online Initial Damage Assessment Survey, please call 211 Maine by dialing 2-1-1, or call the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency at (207) 892-6785. Please email us at recovery@cumberlandcounty.org with further questions.

Businesses, Agriculture, and Fishing

Individual small businesses, members of private industry, privately owned commercial infrastructure, or commercial agriculture who sustained storm damage are encouraged to document and report that damage by filling using the online application at the link below:

Business and Agriculture Initial Damage Assessment (online)

Maine may be able to ask for assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Please note that completion of a damage assessment form does not mean that funding is or will be available to help cover the costs incurred by storm damage. The SBA has different total damage limits than the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be able to access their loan program.

Municipalities and Eligible Non-Profits: Public Assistance

Damages to public facilities and infrastructure are assessed and reported by each town’s local emergency management representative. Municipal agencies, such as public works and building inspectors, are encouraged to assist their representatives in recording and reporting damages to publicly-owned and publicly-maintained facilities and structures.

The Public Assistance Program assists public agencies and some Private Non-Profits with recovering from disaster damages in the following categories:

Category A - Debris Removal
Category B - Emergency Protective Measures
Category C - Roads and Bridges
Category D - Water Control Facilities
Category E - Buildings and Equipment
Category F – Utilities
Category G - Parks, Recreation, Piers, Other

Some other organizations and community services are also eligible for assistance under the Public Assistance Program, such as: utilities, emergency services, many medical care facilities, some educational organizations, and a variety of other community organizations. For a summary list of eligible and non-eligible Private Non-Profit organizations, please reference the following information sheet from the Maine Emergency Management Agency:

Public Assistance PNP Eligible/Non Eligible Services: (pdf format)

If your organization might be eligible as a Private Non-Profit, please contact the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency at (207) 892-6785, or email at CCEMA@cumberlandcounty.org.

Public and eligible Private Non-Profit partners are asked to report all storm damages using the online tool at the link below:

Public Infrastructure Initial Damage Assessment Form (online)

Instructions for this tool are located at https://www.maine.gov/mema/sites/maine.gov.mema/files/inline-files/PIIDA_SOP.pdf.

If you fill out the Initial Damage Assessment, there is no guarantee that you will get assistance. Please watch the news and social media sites for news that a Disaster Declaration was made.

If you have problems with the online Initial Damage Assessment Survey, please call the Cumberland County Emergency Management Agency at (207) 892-6785 for assistance with Survey123 or an alternate reporting form. Please email us at recovery@cumberlandcounty.org with further questions.