Disaster, Recover, Resilience: How Do I Prepare for FEMA?

Across Hawaiʻi, we are seeing the strength of our communities in real time. ʻOhana, neighbors, and grassroots efforts are stepping up to care for one another through fundraising, mutual aid, and direct support.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) gets billions of dollars every year to help homes, businesses, and people when disasters happen. So where are they now?

As support grows, we offer some gentle guidance to help inform and protect access to future disaster assistance if it becomes available. This is not about limiting support, it is about making sure our people can access every resource available to them, both now and in the long-term.

When will FEMA be here?

In short – we don’t know. No one can definitively say when FEMA relief will arrive, if it will come at all, except for one person: The President.

Before a disaster can be declared, a threshold is set that takes into account things like estimated cost of assistance, localized impacts, and the state’s available resources. Based on the estimated damage from the Kona low storms, Hawaiʻi has met the threshold for federal disaster assistance and our communities should qualify for FEMA support. So what’s the issue?

FEMA staff, funds, and resources can’t be deployed until a presidential declaration of emergency is made. And for Democratic states, this President has taken an average of 80 days to decide on requests and only approved 23% of them.

At the same time we are waiting on federal approval, FEMA is waiting for any funding at all. Ongoing budget delays tied to policy debates, including the SAVE Act, may slow how quickly resources reach our communities. 

Even if FEMA is activated, a federal funding gap can delay parts of the process like approvals, reimbursements, and getting dollars out into communities.

Support is possible. Eligibility is not the issue. Timing may take longer than we would hope.

Do we even need FEMA?

With or without FEMA, support for a full recovery does not arrive overnight. The first days and weeks after a disaster are often carried by the community.

That is why community support, mutual aid, and locally-led efforts matter so much right now – they help bridge the gap while federal resources move through their process. From there, philanthropic support and local organizations often help fill the gaps that federal and state programs do not cover. However, disaster relief is a costly effort that needs all the support it can get.

Initial cost estimates of the Kona low storms are at least $1 billion throughout the pae ‘āina. This is a significant amount of money for anyone to cover, except for the federal government. FEMA assistance can help with:

• Debris removal
• Repairs to homes, roads, bridges, and utilities
• Housing, shelter, and rental assistance 
• Replacing essential personal property
• Unemployment, counseling, and legal services

We pay into these systems. Our communities deserve access to FEMA support to help rebuild.

How can I make sure I qualify for FEMA benefits?

Every case is different and it’s impossible to predict how recovery will go. But we can take lessons learned from previous disasters.

First and foremost, you should consider connecting with trusted local organizations, Native Hawaiian-serving groups, or recovery navigators who have worked on state and national programs to help you understand your options.

Recovery is a long and difficult process and many of these organizations can help navigate the bureaucracy of disaster relief. Many government programs have strict rules that quickly become frustrating without help.

For example, many programs include a duplication of benefits review. This means if funds have already been received for the same purpose, such as temporary housing, repairs, or rebuilding, those amounts may be considered when determining eligibility for additional assistance.

This type of review can protect the government against fraud, but it can also deny benefits from people who need and deserve it. One study found that after a 2015 flood in South Carolina, 80% of all valid applicants were denied FEMA assistance. This doesn’t mean you give up now – it means you get ready now.

A recovery navigator can help protect access to future resources. To prepare for a duplication of benefits review, it may be helpful to:

• Keep records of any funds received and how they are used,
• Frame fundraising in broader terms, such as general support for recovery, and
• Stay informed about how different funding sources may work together

Nonprofits and grassroots efforts should also track support carefully and operate with strong fiscal responsibility. Clear tracking helps protect community members from unexpected issues like losing eligibility, being asked to repay funds, or facing disruptions in housing.

This is not meant to discourage community care. Grassroots support is essential and is often what carries our communities through the earliest and most difficult moments.

We share this to help ensure that our people can access the full range of support available, both now and as longer-term recovery resources come into place.

Our communities have always taken care of one another first. Federal support can and should help, but it should never be the only path we rely on.