Following the devastating wake of Hurricane Helene, VACo wants to share information and updates for impacted counties and their residents. The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) has a dedicated website that provides information and contacts on such items as the emergency support team, relevant Executive Orders, press releases, and more. VDEM also is providing daily Emergency Support Team (VEST) Status reports. The latest report available to VACo for Thursday October 3 can be found here.
The federal government has granted Virginia’s request for an expedited Federal Major Disaster Declaration due to the impacts of the hurricane. The declaration allows for federal funding to be made available to affected individuals in Giles, Grayson, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, and Wythe Counties and the independent city of Galax. The Youngkin Administration will continue to seek to add jurisdictions and at this time, federal funding is also available to state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in the Counties of Bedford, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Craig, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pittsylvania, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Washington, Wise and Wythe, and the Independent Cities of Bristol, Covington, Danville, Galax, Norton, and Radford.
VACo will continue to provide information on resources available to county governments as the situation progresses.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett