Illinois e-News Release

CHICAGO – President Joseph Biden has approved Governor Pritzker’s request and signed a Disaster Declaration, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to offer Individual Assistance for residents in Cook County, Illinois who were impacted by severe weather in September. FEMA's Individual Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and businesses owners recover from the effects of the storms.

"Thank you to President Biden and FEMA for recognizing the devastating effects of recent extreme weather in Cook County by taking the appropriate action to ensure impacted residents can get back on their feet," said Governor JB Pritzker. "Residents and businesses in Cook County who were most impacted are now able to access additional resources necessary to rebuild and revitalize, and I know Cook County will build back stronger than ever."

On September 17, severe storms passed through Cook County producing heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and nine inches of precipitation. This severe storm system caused substantial flooding, resulting in significant property damage with widespread power outages and blocked roadways affecting homeowners, businesses, utilities, and local governments. This storm also caused disruptions to transportation due to flash flooding, widespread debris limited access to roadways, and power outages impeded work efforts in Cook County.

Governor Pritzker previously signed an Illinois disaster proclamation for Cook County, allowing residents to receive state assistance. When local resources have been exhausted, assistance from the federal government can unlock more tools to help those in need.

"I am grateful to President Biden for taking this critical step to help Cook County residents impacted by severe weather and flooding on September 17,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “This federal support will build on the collaborative work already undertaken at the local, County and state levels that has been vital in ensuring our residents can access critical resources to recover from these devastating storms.”

"We continue to coordinate services and assign specialized resources from various state agencies to assist in the recovery from this severe storm," said Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. "Our Recovery Division teams are integrally involved in the effort with our local and county partners in bringing multiple Federal programs to Cook County to recover from the severe weather in September."

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and Cook County Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS) are working closely to provide additional services to everyone in Cook County.

Disaster Survivors and businesses who sustained damages in Cook County can begin applying for Disaster Assistance:

Disaster Recovery Centers will be open in Cook County for more opportunities for disaster survivors to engage with FEMA representatives on the disaster application process.