Tornadoes struck Bowling Green in 2020 and Mayfield in 2021. The following year, historic floods left portions of eastern Kentucky uninhabitable. Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency unveiled what officials call the biggest improvements to its survivor assistance program in two decades. Jaclyn Rothenberg is FEMA’s Director of Public Affairs.
“They will establish new benefits and provide flexible funding to help survivors when they need it the most. It's going to cut red tape and expand eligibility to reach more people and help them recover faster and build back even stronger than before.”
Rothenberg said the application process will be simplified to meet survivors’ individual needs and, quote, “Meet people where they are.” She said FEMA officials were listening when they met with disaster victims in Kentucky and elsewhere.
“That's exactly why we're making this change, we know that some of our programs are too bureaucratic. And that we had an obligation to cut the red tape to make sure that people were getting assistance faster.”
Rothenberg said FEMA is also making it easier for eligible disaster victims to get immediate support with a serious needs benefit of $750.
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