Governor Tate Reeves’ request for Individual Assistance (FEMA-4899 DR-MS) for counties affected by the January 23-27 severe winter weather has been approved by President Trump. 36 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians have been approved for Individual Assistance.
Individual Assistance is approved for Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, Desoto, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Yalobusha, and Yazoo Counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Individual assistance is available to residents in those 36 counties and can include grants for home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of this disaster.
Residents in the approved counties who sustained losses during the January 23-27 winter weather will be able to apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as a video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, provide FEMA with the number for that service. The disaster number is: DR-4899.
Public Assistance has been approved for 82 counties impacted by the January 23-27 severe winter weather.
Public Assistance has been approved for 38 counties for all categories (A-G) for Public Assistance: Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Choctaw, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Itawamba, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Oktibbeha, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Union, Warren, Washington, Webster, Wilkinson, Yalobusha, and Yazoo Counties, including the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Public Assistance Category B is approved for 44 counties: Amite, Chickasaw, Clarke, Clay, Coahoma, Copiah, Covington, DeSoto, Forrest, Franklin, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Hinds, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson Davis, Jones, Kemper, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Leake, Lincoln, Lowndes, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Pearl River, Perry, Pike, Rankin, Scott, Simpson, Smith, Stone, Tunica, Walthall, Wayne, and Winston Counties.
FEMA’s Public Assistance program reimburses local and state government agencies for the costs of emergency response, debris removal and restoration of disaster-damaged public facilities and infrastructure. Certain nonprofit organizations and houses of worship may also be eligible for assistance.
For the latest information about federal assistance from the January 23-27 winter storm, visit fema.gov/disaster/4899
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), in coordination with federal and local partners, will open six Disaster Recovery Centers and seven Disaster Survivor Assistance sites beginning at noon on Monday, April 27th, to serve residents who suffered damage during the January 23-27 winter ice storm (DR-4899-MS).
Disaster Survivor Assistance sites are expected to operate for approximately one week at each location, while Disaster Recovery Centers will remain open for an extended period, depending on foot traffic. New Disaster Survivor Assistance sites will open in the upcoming weeks to provide more residents in the impacted counties with access to face-to-face support.
At the Disaster Recovery Centers and Disaster Survivor Assistance sites, residents can receive in-person FEMA registration, assistance information, and referrals to recovery resources.
The Disaster Recovery Centers will open at noon on Monday, April 27th, at the following locations:
Alcorn County Northeast Community Center 2759 South Harper Road Corinth, MS 38834 | Benton County Ashland Fire Department 368 Ripley Ave (3rd Street) Ashland, MS 38603 |
Lafayette County Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena 70 F.D. Buddy East Parkway Oxford, MS 38655 | Leflore County Leflore County EMA Office 701 US 82 Greenwood, MS 38930 |
Panola County Batesville Enterprise Center 275 Nosef Drive, Suite A Batesville, MS 38606 | Yazoo County Yazoo County EMA Office Building 2201 Gordon Avenue Yazoo City, MS 39194 |
*Hours of operation will be Monday-Friday 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday 8 am to 2 pm, Sunday- Closed
The Disaster Survivor Assistance sites will open at noon on Monday, April 27th, at the following locations:
Calhoun County Calhoun County Multipurpose Building 121 Parker Street Pittsboro, MS 38951 | DeSoto County Agri/Education Center 1170 Star Landing Road Nesbit, MS 38651 |
Grenada County Grenada County Emergency Operations Center 370 Van Dorn Street Grenada, MS 38901 | Holmes County EDA Building 303 Yazoo Street Lexington, MS 39095 |
Humphreys County Humphreys Multi-Purpose Building 417 Silver City Road Belzoni, MS 39038 | Tate County – Open Only 4/27/2026 Tate County Emergency Operations Center 107 Court Street Senatobia, MS 38668 |
Tate County – Open 4/28/26 – 5/2/26 MSU Extension Office 201 French’s Alley Senatobia, MS 38668 | Tishomingo County Tishomingo County Courthouse 1008 Battleground Drive Iuka, MS 38852 |
*Hours of operation will be Monday, April 27th: 12:00 pm – 6 pm; Tuesday-Friday 8 am to 6 pm, Saturday 8 am to 2 pm, Sunday- Closed
It is not necessary to go to a Disaster Recovery Center or Disaster Survivor Assistance location to apply with FEMA. Individuals can apply for assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as a video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, provide FEMA with the number for that service.
Federal funding is available to affected individuals in Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Yalobusha, and Yazoo Counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. 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 business owners recover from the disaster's effects.
On February 6, 2026, the State of Mississippi received a major disaster declaration (DR-4899-MS). The Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) announced today that Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is available for the following 36 counties in Mississippi: Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Montogomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Yalobusha, and Yazoo counties, as well as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Individuals who live or work in one of the affected counties and could not work because of major destruction that occurred on January 23-27, 2026, caused by the Severe Winter Storm, are entitled to apply and may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. The Disaster Assistance Period begins January 25, 2026, through August 8, 2026. Each claim will be reviewed to determine eligibility to receive DUA.
Self-employed individuals who were living or working in the affected areas at the time of the major disaster and those who are unemployed as a result of the major disaster may be eligible for DUA. In addition, those who were unable to reach their jobs because the disaster prevented their travel, or who were scheduled to begin employment, but the disaster prevented them from doing so, may apply.
Individuals eligible for DUA are those who:
- Were unemployed for at least one week after the date of the disaster
- Became the income provider or major support for a household because of the disaster-related death of the head of the household
- Cannot work because of an injury caused as a direct result of the disaster
- Could not work or lost work as a result of physical damage or destruction of a business; or unable to work because of the physical inaccessibility of the place of employment due to its closure
- Were scheduled to have started work and does not have the job as direct result of the disaster.
Individuals in Adams, Alcorn, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Claiborne, Coahoma, DeSoto, Grenada, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leflore, Marshall, Montogomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sharkey, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Warren, Washington, Yalobusha, and Yazoo counties, as well as the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians can apply online 24 hours a day at www.mdes.ms.gov or by calling 601-493-9428 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance is Tuesday, June 9, 2026.
Desoto County Emergency Services
Tate County Emergency Management
Panola County Emergency Operations
Yalobusha County, MS Emergency Management
Grenada County Sheriff's Office
Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, MS
Alcorn County Emergency Management
Tishomingo County Chancery Clerk
Pontotoc County Emergency Management
Itawamba County Sheriff's Department
Boliver County Emergency Operations Center
Washington Co., Emergency Operations Center
Carroll County Board of Supervisors
MEMA Executive Director Stephen McCraney provides an update on the severe winter weather that impacted Mississippi. 2/4/2026
Governor Tate Reeves Press Conference January 30, 2026
Governor Tate Reeves Press Conference January 29, 2026
Governor Tate Reeves Press Conference January 28, 2026
National Guard helps MEMA deliver supplies to north Mississippi
Governor Tate Reeves Press Conference January 26, 2026
Governor Tate Reeves Press Conference January 25, 2026
MEMA Deputy Director Todd DeMuth Provides a Winter Weather Update - 1/23/26
MEMA Encourages Citizens to Prepare for Winter Weather - 1/22/26
BLUF: Partners to highlight – Walmart, Chick-Fil-A, Pinelake Church, xAI, Lowes, Grainger, MS Petroleum Marketers/Propane Association, MS Bankers Association, MS Trucking Association, MS Bankers Association.
Private sector partners fed over 15,000 hot meals to survivors and coordinated with MEMA’s Human Services Branch to ensure any gaps in feeding, specifically of hot meals were addressed in a timely manner.
Shower, laundry, mobile charging and Wi-Fi stations were set up in Walmart parking lots in Oxford and Ripley by Walmart’s partnership with Matthew 25 Ministry’s Tide Loads of Hope Program. Walmart also partnered with Operation Barbecue to have hot meals served from the Oxford parking lot.
X-AI, a Space-X company in Southaven, Mississippi donated 418 generators (3500 and 6500 watt) to survivors in Tippah County.
Pinelake church donated over 100 generators, hygiene goods, blankets, water and shelf-stable food to survivors. They also partnered with Convoy of Hope to use their Madison and Oxford campuses as staging areas to move supplies to the affected area.
National chains (Walmart, CVS, Lowes, Chick-fil-a) coordinated with the MSBEOC on supply chain impacts, business continuity and store closures in the state of Mississippi. Pre-event, partners had the decision-making information they needed from MEMA to move appropriate products to stores in the forecasted area.
Associations coordinated with the MSBEOC to assess their member’s business continuity and ensure local businesses had the information they needed to reopen as quickly as possible post event.
GoFundMe tracked verified fundraisers for people who were affected by Winter Storm Fern as well as for non-profits working in the affected area.
Waze, a GPS navigation company, added our shelters and warming centers as navigable locations on their platforms.
The MSBEOC shared state and federal transportation waivers with partners. These waivers allow businesses to move disaster supplies through the state pre and post event, allowing for longer hours of service for drivers and higher weight limits for trucks.
The MSBEOC shared road closure information with partners, ensuring they had information to move shipments to the affected area and trucks moving through the state could get where they needed to go with less delays.
Businesses coordinated with the MSBEOC to ensure they had information to prioritize safety of their staff when they were able to reopen.
10 locations in total opened to receive donations for survivors from the public. These locations were also able to share their needs, unloading capabilities and hours of operation so that they could receive the donations they needed from the public and get them to survivors.