FEMA Public Assistance Deadline Approaching

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) is reminding eligible applicants that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Request for Public Assistance (RPA) deadline for the 23 counties that were approved for Public Assistance through the Major Disaster Declaration is March 8, 2026, while the remaining 72 counties that were declared through the Emergency Declaration is March 25, 2026, following a FEMA-approved extension.

Eligible Applicants and Projects

Public Assistance is available to eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit (PNP) organizations that sustained damage because of Winter Storm Fern and/or provided eligible services. 

Eligible PNP applicants may include:

• Volunteer fire departments and rescue squads
• Emergency/medical service providers, including nonprofit hospitals and community health clinics
• Nonprofit utilities providing critical services (e.g., water, wastewater, electric, communications)
• Nonprofit educational organizations, including certain schools or educational facilities
• Nonprofit custodial care facilities, such as organizations providing residential care for individuals with disabilities or other custodial care needs

Public Assistance may include eligible costs for work such as:

• Emergency protective measures taken to save lives, protect public health and safety, or protect improved property. For example: emergency operations, protective actions, certain life-safety measures, and related eligible support activities.
• Debris-related activities that are eligible under the declaration, as applicable.
• Other eligible response actions tied to the incident and authorized under FEMA’s Public Assistance program.

Steps Applicants Need to Take Now

1.     Attend an Applicant Briefing: TEMA has prerecorded Applicant Briefing videos on the website. The schedule for In-person applicant briefings is still being determined. 

2.     Submit an RPA immediately, even if impacts are still being assessed. Applicants do not need to finalize damages before applying.

3.     Maintain documentation, including photos, work logs, invoices, mutual aid records, etc.

4.     If assistance is needed, TEMA can submit the RPA on the applicant’s behalf with written authorization emailed to TEMA.PA@tn.gov. Written authorization should include:

• Applicant name (county/agency/organization)
• Primary point of contact, phone number, and email address
• Declaration number (e.g. EM-3635, DR-4898)
• A brief authorization statement 

Sample authorization statement:
“I authorize the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) to submit our FEMA Request for Public Assistance (RPA) for [Applicant Name] under [Declaration Number].”

TEMA will continue to share updates as they become available.