FEMA Public Assistance Program

FEMA Public Assistance (Applies to Lake and Shasta County Only)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may be offering Public Assistance to counties affected by the statewide wildfires.

Intent of Public Assistance

  • To provide assistance to address immediate threats to life, public health, and safety; and to protect improved public and private properties.
  • To ensure the public is served in a timely and efficient manner.
  • To provide assistance to repair, restore, or replace eligible permanent facilities.
  • To encourage mitigation measures.

Public Assistance is supplementary assistance to Tribal, State, and Local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for response and recovery in a major disaster or emergency. One of the ways this assistance is provided is through Federal grants to help rebuild public facilities such as roads, bridges, water control facilities, buildings, utilities, and recreational facilities damaged by disasters. FEMA funds a minimum of 75 percent of Public Assistance grants, and the grantee funds the balance. Tribal governments may receive Public Assistance grant funds as sub-recipients of the State or directly as grantees.

The Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide (PAPPG) combines all Public Assistance (PA) policy into a single volume and provides an overview of the PA Program implementation process with links to other publications and documents that provide additional process details.

The Public Assistance Division through Cal OES provides assistance to state agencies, local governments, special districts and eligible private non-profit organizations impacted by a disaster in order to achieve a safer future for all California communities.