Escambia's federal emergency declaration covers government costs, not homeowners. FEMA shows no individual aid for Isaias yet. How to report damage now.

Escambia County households hit by Hurricane Isaias cannot yet get federal disaster aid for their homes. The federal declaration in place covers emergency work by governments. It does not include FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, which pays people directly.

That is what FEMA’s own declaration record showed Thursday morning.

What the declaration covers

President Donald Trump approved an emergency declaration for Florida on Friday, Oct. 9. FEMA numbered it EM-3655. The state asked for it on Oct. 8, according to FEMA’s open data record for the declaration.

It covers 27 Florida counties, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton. In Escambia County, FEMA lists two programs, according to its designated areas record:

  • Public Assistance, Category B: emergency protective measures. This reimburses governments for storm work such as clearing roads, rescues and emergency shelters.
  • Direct Federal Assistance. Federal agencies can do emergency work themselves when the state and county cannot.

Neither program pays a household for a damaged roof, a lost car or a hotel stay. FEMA’s record marks Individual Assistance and the Individuals and Households Program as not declared.

What has to happen first

Individual Assistance normally comes with a major disaster declaration, which is a separate request. The Florida Division of Emergency Management says it joins FEMA and local officials in a preliminary damage assessment to show whether the damage justifies one. The governor then asks the president.

The count of damaged homes matters to that case. The City of Pensacola said in its Oct. 13 recovery update that reporting damage “helps support a disaster declaration.” It also said a report is not a FEMA application and does not guarantee assistance.

No major disaster declaration for Isaias appeared in FEMA’s records as of Thursday.

What it means for you

  • Report damage to your home now through Escambia County’s Citizen Damage Report, also linked from the “Report Storm Damage” button on MyEscambia.com. City residents use the same form. The city said it is for damage to primary structures; fences and sheds do not qualify.
  • Document the damage with photos and records, the city said.
  • File with your insurer first. FEMA aid does not duplicate insurance. The state’s insurance consumer helpline is 877-693-5236, according to the county’s Storm Center.
  • If Individual Assistance is approved, the state says the first step is registering with FEMA at DisasterAssistance.gov or by phone at 800-621-3362. The state explains the program on its Individual Assistance page.
  • Watch for scams. FEMA does not charge to apply. The county lists 866-966-7226 for reporting price gouging.

Our Isaias recovery page has the latest on water, power, debris pickup and schools. We will update this story if FEMA approves aid for individuals in Escambia County.