President Donald Trump has signed off on a major disaster declaration for six counties along the Texas coast, clearing the way for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin assisting people affected by Hurricane Harvey.
Included in that declaration are Bee County, Goliad County, Kleberg County, Nueces County, Refugio County and San Patricio County.
Once ground crews are better able to assess the damage, the state can request assistance for other counties, as well.
Saturday, FEMA began moving additional teams and resources from their Regional Response Coordination Center in Denton to Austin, which will allow them to move into the affected areas quickly once the storm passes and it's safe to do so.
In the meantime, the RRCC continues to operate 24 / 7 at full staff. The center's primary role is to coordinate the federal government's emergency response efforts with the state's.
"Right now, we are trying to figure out who need what, where and when," said Earl Armstrong, a spokesperson for FEMA. "We're also figuring out how fast we can get those things to them."
Armstrong says FEMA is currently providing assistance to both individuals and public agencies in the designated disaster areas.
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People living in those areas can register for FEMA assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply via the FEMA phone app.
