Hurricane Irma: President Trumps signs Emergency Declaration for Seminole Tribe of Florida

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced that federal emergency aid has been made available to the Seminole Tribe of Florida to supplement the tribe’s response efforts due to the emergency conditions in the area affected by Hurricane Irma beginning on September 4, 2017 and continuing.

Photo By Bill Koplitz/FEMA

The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population, and to provide appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe for the Seminole Tribe of Florida and associated lands.

Specifically, FEMA is authorized to identify, mobilize, and provide at its discretion, equipment and resources necessary to alleviate the impacts of the emergency.  Debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, will be provided at 75 percent federal funding.

Justo Hernández has been named as the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal response operations in the affected area.  Hernández said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the tribe and warranted by the results of further evaluation.