Alaska has received a federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump to help with funding for State, tribal, and local recovery efforts in all areas of the state impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Michael F. O’Hare, former director of the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and now the Region 10 director for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been named the federal coordinating officer for federal recovery operations in the Alaska.
Typically, disaster declarations lead to the release of:
- Individual Assistance – Assistance to individuals and households;
- Public Assistance – Assistance to state and local governments and certain privatenonprofit organizations for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities; and
- Hazard Mitigation Assistance – Assistance to state and local governments and certainprivate nonprofit organizations for actions taken to prevent or reduce long term risk to life and property from natural hazards.
It’s not clear how these three categories will apply to the economic disaster created by the pandemic, or if new categories will be created.
Additional disaster designations, such as a “major disaster declaration,” or n economic disaster for commercial fisheries, may be made at a later date if requested by the State.
