Disaster Assistance for West Virginia Survivors of Tropical Storm Helene Tops $1 Million

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — More than $1 million in federal disaster assistance has been approved for homeowners and renters in Mercer County, W.Va., following the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene.  

“Reaching this milestone is a real testament to the work of Mercer County’s emergency management and community organizations in partnership with West Virginia Emergency Management Division,” FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Georgeta Dragoiu said. “FEMA is proud to be working closely with our partners in getting assistance to the people who need it most. And it’s not too late – If you were affected by Helene, apply for assistance today.”

Impacted individuals in Mercer County can apply today by visiting a Disaster Recovery Center, calling 1-800-621-3362, going online at  www.disasterassistance.gov, or using the FEMA mobile app.

On Monday, Dec. 16, FEMA opened its first Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) in Bluefield, W.Va. Staff from federal, state, and local agencies are at the center to answer questions about FEMA applications as well as access other resources and support. For the latest DRC information, check the FEMA app or visit 

Princeton Disaster Recovery Center
Lifeline Princeton Church of God 250 Oakvale Rd.  Princeton, WV 24740 Hours of operation: Thursday Jan 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 4: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Closed Sunday

Bluefield Disaster Recovery Center
Maple View Church of Christ 194 Robins Rest Rd.  Bluefield, WV 24701 Hours of operation: Monday, Jan. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7 – Friday, Jan. 10: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closed Sundays

The deadline to apply for FEMA disaster assistance is Feb. 7, 2025. 

FEMA has set up a rumor response webpage to clarify our role in the Helene response. Visit Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response | FEMA.gov.  

For more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd.wv.gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www.fema.gov/disaster/4851 and www.facebook.com/FEMA.

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FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Follow us on X at x.com/FEMAregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).