NASHVILLE, Tenn. —Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced approval of his request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, making recovery assistance available to four counties impacted by tornadoes and severe storms on December 9, 2023.
“State and local officials, first responders and volunteers continue to provide critical support to impacted Tennessee communities following significant storm damage,” said Gov. Lee. “As Tennessee rebuilds, I thank our federal partners for granting resources to further our severe weather response and recovery across the state.”
The Tennessee counties named in the Expedited Major Disaster Declaration are Dickson, Davidson, Montgomery and Sumner.
The disaster declaration includes FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) Program, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and Direct Federal Assistance.
“With the approval of this declaration, we are able to meet survivors’ immediate needs in those most widely impacted communities,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “We will continue working to make sure Tennesseans have the resources needed for a swift recovery.”
Gov. Lee and TEMA Director Sheehan also shared guidance and resources that are available to Tennesseans in impacted areas:
FEMA Individual Assistance Program
Individuals in the declared counties can apply now for direct assistance through FEMA’s IA program online anytime or by phone at 1-800-621-3362 between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. CT. Multilingual operators are available.
Those eligible for FEMA’s IA program may receive help with rental assistance, home repair and personal property replacement, in addition to other uninsured or underinsured disaster losses. More information on FEMA’s IA program can be found here.
Tennessee experienced seven confirmed tornadoes and severe weather on December 9. This weather event claimed six lives and left significant damage across West and Middle Tennessee. Resources and updates for survivors can be found on the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency website.