Just 30 days after President Joe Biden declared a Severe Storm and Flooding disaster in Chaves County, more than $12 million in FEMA disaster assistance has been approved, going directly into the pockets of hundreds of eligible New Mexicans. To date, over 2,200 residents have applied to FEMA for federal financial assistance.

Record rainfall and flooding hit the towns of Hagerman, Hope, Midway and Roswell on Oct. 19-20, damaging nearly 1,000 homes and about 100 businesses in Roswell alone. Two people lost their lives in the severe storm, and hundreds were rescued from the flood waters. 

FEMA Individuals and Households Program (IHP) 

In Chaves County, FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) program has approved $12 million for individuals and households, including: 
 

• $6 million for Housing Assistance (HA). 
• $6 million for Other Needs Assistance (ONA), which helps to replace essential household items and help pay for other critical disaster-related needs, such as moving and storage, childcare, funerals, medical and dental care. 

A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), operated by the State of New Mexico and FEMA, at the Roswell Mall in Roswell, provides one-on-one, face-to-face help to individuals and households impacted by the storm and flooding. The DRC has been visited by more than 900 affected New Mexicans. 

FEMA Public Assistance (PA) Program 

Public Assistance is FEMA’s largest assistance program, accounting for about half of all disaster grant dollars. It is a cost-sharing program, available to state, tribal, county and local governments, as well as private nonprofit organizations, including houses of worship. FEMA pays no less than 75% of project costs, to include infrastructure repair for cities, counties, tribes and municipalities that experienced damage as a result of the Oct. 19-20 storm. 

FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) 

Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews are on the ground in Chaves County walking through affected neighborhoods, door-to-door in addition to supporting IA registration events small groups of survivors in nearby facilities. 

DSA personnel have visited nearly 8,200 impacted homes, interacted with nearly 1,900 individual survivors and helped over 170 individuals and households submit applications to FEMA for federal disaster assistance.  

FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons (VALs) 

The mission of FEMA Voluntary Agency Liaisons is to establish, foster, and maintain relationships among government, voluntary, faith-based, and community partners. Through these relationships, the VALs support the delivery of inclusive and equitable services and empower and strengthen capabilities of communities to address disaster-caused unmet needs. 

During the last 30 days:

• The American Red Cross managed two shelters and sheltered 17 New Mexicans and distributed 1,297 meals and 3,262 snacks to those affected. ARC also distributed 6,465 clean up kits and other emergency supply items to 1,357 households and distributed direct financial assistance to 993 households. 
• The Salvation Army distributed more than $12,000 in gift cards to survivors, distributed 12,386 drinks and hot/cold meals, assisted 6,331 individuals through its Disaster Social Services Program, and distributed 515 immediate relief and cleanup supplies to impacted communities. A total of 208 volunteers also contributed 644 volunteer hours. 
• Southern Baptists Disaster Relief from four states and Team Rubicon assisted more than 100 households with flood muck/gut, clean up, and mold remediation. 
• The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico has distributed $15,000 to support local initiatives that went towards those directly affected by the flooding in Chaves County
• Roadrunner Food Bank distributed more than five pallets of dry goods and five pallets of bottled water to American Red Cross and other agencies to support feeding efforts. 
• A Multi-Agency Donations Warehouse was operated in the City of Roswell that contained 1,026 pallets, cases, and boxes of immediate relief supplies, food, water, and blankets. All these items were distributed to affected New Mexicans and local/regional Non-Government Organizations and Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (VOADs).
• The VALs have engaged with more than 60 VOADs, non-profits, government, faith-and community-based organizations to identify survivor resources, unmet needs, and provide critical information on FEMA and its programs. The VALs are also coordinating with local stakeholders to develop a Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) for their community which will assist individuals and households with disaster related unmet needs.