DisasterLookup
DR-4953-WV · Major disaster declaration

Severe Storms and Flooding in Fayette County, West Virginia

Declared Oct 7, 2026. Incident period Aug 14, 2026 – Aug 18, 2026. Households in Fayette County could apply to FEMA for help.

You can still apply for FEMA help in Fayette County

Households with uninsured losses can register for FEMA Individual Assistance until Dec 7, 2026 (56 days left). Register at DisasterAssistance.gov, in the FEMA app, or by calling 1-800-621-3362. FEMA can extend deadlines; its site has the final word.

Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov
What it switched on in Fayette County

The three programs

On here

Individual Assistance

Households apply to FEMA directly for help with temporary housing, home repairs and other uninsured losses.

Residents of Fayette County could apply to FEMA.

Off here

Public Assistance

FEMA reimburses state and local governments, tribes and some nonprofits for debris removal, emergency response and rebuilding public roads, buildings and utilities.

No federal reimbursement for local government costs in Fayette County.

Off here

Hazard Mitigation

Grants for projects that reduce future damage, such as buyouts of flood-prone homes, elevating buildings or safe rooms. Local governments apply, not homeowners. Often declared statewide.

No mitigation grants tied to this declaration for Fayette County.

What a major disaster declaration means

A major disaster declaration is the President's broadest disaster declaration. It is the only kind that can switch on the full set of FEMA programs, including help for individual households, rebuilding of public facilities and hazard mitigation. Which of those programs apply is decided area by area.

Why the dates matter

The incident period is the official window of the disaster. Damage generally has to happen inside it to count for FEMA assistance. Other help follows disaster declarations under each agency's own rules: IRS deadline relief, special enrollment periods for health coverage, disaster SNAP and SBA loans. Some can start without a FEMA declaration at all, and disaster SNAP needs Individual Assistance. Check with each agency.

Timeline

How it unfolded

todayIncident periodAug 14, 2026 – Aug 18, 2026DeclaredOct 7, 2026Apply byDec 7, 2026

FEMA spending in Fayette County

Public Assistance obligated$0
Households registered for help16
Approved for households$0

The whole declaration

DR-4953-WV designated 3 areas in West Virginia; households could apply in 3.

See every area →