On Aug. 20, President Biden approved a major disaster declaration, Disaster 4810, in response to the July 9–11 flooding which hit seven Vermont counties this past summer, making the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance funding available in the affected counties. At the time of this announcement, FEMA teams were still in the state responding to Disaster 4720, a more severe flooding event that occurred last year in July 2023. 

In order for FEMA to begin operating in response to a disaster, minimum damage amounts called indicators must be reached, explained FEMA external affairs coordinator Kimberly Fuller. Fuller explained that the time it took FEMA teams to assess the damage for indicators resulted in the time delay between the disaster itself in July and the declaration made by Biden in August. 

In order to gain access to FEMA assistance, the governor of the affected state must contact FEMA for an Preliminary Damage Assessment (PDA). FEMA then assesses damages by both responding to calls and physically looking for damage, and then sends its report to the President, according to Fuller. 

While more major disasters, such as Hurricane Irene in 2011, may warrant an emergency declaration, which does not require a PDA, less major disasters require even more time, possibly months, to be assessed, especially in areas like Vermont with small, diffuse populations. 

Middlebury alum Sofia West ’23, a former International and Global Studies major from California, has been on the ground with FEMA as a member of the FEMA Corps. FEMA Corps is a program within the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) program for 18–26 year-olds that deploys teams based on national needs to work on projects accomplishing FEMA’s mission-critical functions: disaster survivor assistance, individual assistance, logistics, planning and geographic information system, and public assistance, according to West. 

While in Vermont, West has primarily worked on project grants related to last summer’s flooding. However, after the declaration of this most recent disaster, her team was briefly deployed working in Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA), meaning they spent time canvassing communities and helping them apply for assistance from FEMA.

“There was about an hour and a half between the declaration announcement and our first survivor interaction in the town of Barre, breaking an unofficial FEMA-wide record of fastest DSA (Disaster Survivor Assistance) deployment in history- pretty neat!” West wrote in an email to The Campus.

Fuller explained that FEMA teams “go where the people are” to help them gain access to funding. In order to access assistance, survivors have to register loss and damage, among other documentation.

In the approximately four days West’s team was in the field in August, they knocked on over 200 doors in flood-affected areas and spoke with more than 100 survivors. In Vermont, “going where the people are” has also involved setting up at local farmer’s markets to speak with locals about registering their damage and helping them through the process via an app on their smartphones. 

Fuller explained that while citizens can apply for assistance online, lack of awareness about this option, limited Wi-Fi availability and complexities in the application process can make it difficult for aid to reach survivors. In order to gain access to funding, survivors have to be both eligible and have given FEMA all of the information it requires. DSA teams help facilitate that process. 

FEMA is diligent in its work to reach survivors and help them apply for assistance, Fuller explained. The agency tries to contact survivors through various methods, multiple times. 

As of Sept. 7, 1,103 individuals had registered for assistance in response to Disaster 4810, with $2,926,239 in aid already approved, Fuller told The Campus. She reported that she expected approximately five million dollars of individual assistance to ultimately be approved in response to the July floods.

“Overall, it was an intense experience that necessitated a lot of interpersonal skills blended with FEMA assistance knowledge, but one that provided a more inclusive foundational awareness of FEMA operations,” West wrote of her time doing DSA work.

There are currently 10 DSA teams and two FEMA Corps teams operating in Vermont. DSA teams have registered approximately 200 survivors over 3,587 survivor interactions and 8,000 home visits. Teams have also visited 300 community-based organizations, 550 businesses and 300 public spaces.

FEMA also provides public assistance funds to local municipalities to support the reconstruction of infrastructure, such as roads, and support local nonprofits, such as food banks, impacted by the flooding. 

Congress closed its most recent session in January without approving additional funding for FEMA as it traditionally does, prompting the public to worry about assistance fund availability. Local and government nonprofit funding will be put on hold, but individual assistance will remain unaffected by this lack of funding, Fuller explained. 

West expects additional FEMA funding to eventually be approved.

West noted that in an ideal world, Vermont would become more prepared for natural disasters, and that increasing preparedness is a key part of FEMA’s mission. However, for now, FEMA’s focus remains on more immediate recovery in the state. 

“FEMA has been steadfastly supporting Vermonters through multiple disasters and will continue to do so as long as there is a need,” West wrote.

WASHINGTON (WCAX) – Federal funding is on the way to help reimburse the state for repairs to flood-damaged roads in Vermont.

Vermont’s congressional delegation just announced $51 million from the Federal Highway Administration to reimburse the state for the cost of repairs caused by last year’s flooding.

Most of that will go toward damage from July 2023 but about $1 million will refund repairs caused by December’s flood.

Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.

Ana de Armas revealed she is happier than ever following her move to a rural area in Vermont, where she quietly purchased a $7 million home last year.

While reflecting on leaving Hollywood for a quieter life, the actress, 36, gushed about loving the feeling of living ‘off the grid’ to E! News, three years after the end of her nearly year-long relationship with Ben Affleck, which ended in 2021.

‘I feel like nowadays, we all want to go away from the craziness of the world,’ she explained at the premiere of her upcoming new film, Eden, during the Toronto International Film Festival.

She continued: ‘We all want to have the chance to build your own safe space. I’ve made that decision myself.’

The Oscar nominee went on to confirm that she ‘found a home where’ she feels removed from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood life. 

‘I can collect myself and only bring there who I want to be with. I have my little cocoon there,’ she said of her sprawling six-bedroom home, complete with eight bathrooms, a swimming pool, mountain views and open meadows.  

As for what inspired her to leave Los Angeles, the Blonde star said: ‘You just feel it when it’s time to change. Look out for yourself. There’s a time when you learn what’s good for you and what’s not. What serves you the most? Pay attention to that and take action.’

The Cuba native previously lived in Venice, California, but listed her home in 2020 while still dating Affleck after they were relentlessly hounded by paparazzi. 

Amid their whirlwind romance, she also spent time living in his $20 million Pacific Palisades home.  

In 2022, the Golden Globe nominee, who is now dating Tinder VP Paul Boukadakis, told Elle that privacy issues were ‘one of the reasons’ she left Los Angeles for New York City. 

‘Going through it [myself] confirmed my thoughts about, “This is not the place for me to be,”‘ she said. 

The performer continued: ‘It became a little bit too much. There’s no escape. There’s no way out. It’s always the feeling of something that you don’t have, something missing. It’s a city that keeps you anxious.’

Affleck and de Armas’ romance began when they met while working on the ‘erotic thriller’ Deep Water in 2019, but they weren’t linked until early 2020. 

While reflecting on leaving Hollywood for a quieter life, the actress, 36, gushed about loving the feeling of living ‘off the grid’ to E! News, three years after the end of her nearly year-long relationship with Ben Affleck, which ended in 2021 

At the time of their breakup, several sources confirmed to People that a major factor in their decision to split was her desire to Los Angeles, where Ben has to be based for his kids. 

‘Ben is no longer dating Ana,’ the source told the publication. ‘She broke it off. Their relationship was complicated. Ana doesn’t want to be Los Angeles based and Ben obviously has to since his kids live in Los Angeles.’ 

Another insider told the publication: ‘They are in different points in their lives; there is deep love and respect there. Ben continues to want to work on himself. He has three jobs lined up and he’s a solid father at home. They are both happy with where they are in their lives.’

Additionally, Us Weekly quotes a source who revealed: ‘Ben and Ana were moving in different directions in their lives and stopped seeing eye to eye. The two couldn’t work through their differences and have decided to end their relationship.’

‘I feel like nowadays, we all want to go away from the craziness of the world,’ she explained at the premiere of her upcoming new film, Eden, during the Toronto International Film Festival

The Oscar nominee went on to confirm that she ‘found a home where’ she feels removed from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood life

During their relationship, the former couple were seen traveling around the world from Cuba to Costa Rica. 

They spent much of 2020 inseparable, enjoying walks in LA with their dogs and casual outings for coffee.

Ana made their relationship Instagram official in April when she shared snaps of the couple hanging out on her 32nd birthday.

During their relationship the actor introduced Ana to his three children with ex-wife Jennifer Garner; Violet, 18, Fin, 15, and Samuel, 12.

Sources at the time told People: ‘Ana seems to love being around his kids. Everyone has been getting along great. Ana is making an effort to get to know his kid.’

Affleck is currently in the middle of a divorce with superstar, Jennifer Lopez, who filed to end their marriage on their second wedding anniversary. 

Ben was previously married to Jennifer from 2005 to 2018 and they have a built a solid co-parenting relationship in recent years, with the actress also supporting Ben with his sobriety.

In 2022, the Golden Globe nominee, who is now dating Tinder VP Paul Boukadakis, told Elle that privacy issues were ‘one of the reasons’ she left Los Angeles for New York City 

Before meeting de Armas, Ben was in a relationship with SNL producer Lindsay Shookus from July 2017 to August 2018. They reunited in February the following year before ending things for good in April 2019.

The actor also dated model Shauna Sexton briefly in 2018.

Meanwhile, prior to Boukadakis and Affleck, she was previously romantically linked to Alejandro Piñeiro Bello, Franklin Latt and Marc Clotet.