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Updated March 6, 2017
Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Tennessee
Overview
Local Impacts
The Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) is managed by the Federal
From FY2000 to FY2015, 95 county governments in
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is the
Tennessee received aid under major disaster declarations.
primary source of federal assistance following a major
Jackson County received aid for the highest number of
disaster declaration. The authority to declare a major
declarations during this period, with 11.
disaster is provided to the President under the Robert T.
Stafford Emergency Relief and Disaster Assistance Act
Figure 1. DRF Actual and Projected Obligations for
(P.L. 93-288).
Declared Major Disasters in Tennessee, by Fiscal Year
Figures are in millions of dol ars, truncated. The number of
The information below includes only DRF funding
declarations per year is in parentheses.
provided to Tennessee as a result of assistance associated
with a major disaster declaration. This information does not
include other assistance provided through the DRF or
disaster assistance provided by other federal sources, such
as Small Business Administration disaster loans.
FEMA administers disaster relief through regional offices
around the country. Tennessee is part of Region IV,
headquartered in Atlanta, GA.
Major Disaster Declarations: FY2000-
FY2015
A total of 25 major disaster declarations were made in the
state of Tennessee between FY2000 and FY2015. During
that time, there was also one request for a major disaster
declaration that was denied. The approved declarations led
to $1.04 billion in actual and projected federal obligations
from the DRF. Actual and projected obligations are used
throughout this In Focus to account for the total amount of
federal assistance ultimately obligated. This funding does
not include the assistance that was provided directly by the
state, either as a cost-share for federal assistance or through
the state’s own authorities and programs.
There was a high level of variation in the amount of actual
and projected funding obligated for major disasters each
year, with more than $561 million in actual and projected
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligations data as of December
obligations for disasters in FY2010 alone. Figure 1
2015.
displays the actual and projected obligations to Tennessee
Notes: Actual and projected obligations are recorded in the fiscal
each fiscal year. The highest number of declarations in a
year in which the major disaster was declared. Only obligations from
single year was five, which occurred in FY2011.
the FEMA DRF are included. Please consult the “Additional
Most Costly Declarations
Resources” section for information on other federal assistance
programs.
The declaration associated with the largest actual and
projected obligations from the DRF to the state of
Types of Assistance Provided for Major
Tennessee was for severe storms, flooding, straight-line
Disasters
winds, and tornadoes in FY2010. This declaration resulted
A major disaster declaration can authorize funding for
in more than $555 million in actual and projected
different purposes, depending on the needs of the state.
obligations to Tennessee from the DRF.
These purposes include
The next two most costly declarations were for severe
Public Assistance, which is used by tribal, state, or local
storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds, and associated
governments, or certain private nonprofit organizations
flooding in FY2011 and severe storms, tornadoes, and
to provide emergency protective services, conduct
flooding in FY2003.
debris removal operations, and repair or replace
damaged public infrastructure;
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Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Tennessee
Individual Assistance, which provides direct aid to
assistance provided as a result of major disaster
impacted households;
declarations, although there is significant variation across
incidents.
Hazard Mitigation Assistance, which funds mitigation
and resiliency projects and programs, typically across
Emergency Declarations are often made at the time a
the entire state;
threat is recognized in order to assist tribal, state, and
local efforts prior to an incident.
FEMA administrative costs associated with each disaster
declaration; and
Fire Management Assistance Grants (FMAGs) provide
aid for the control, management, and mitigation of fires.
Mission Assignment, which tasks and reimburses other
federal entities that provide direct disaster assistance.
FEMA Assistance Not Funded Through
the DRF: National Flood Insurance
The decision concerning which types of assistance to
Program
provide is made either when the major disaster is declared
Floods represent a majority of all major disaster
or when the declaration is amended. For many major
declarations nationwide. One of the primary sources of
disasters, all of the assistance types outlined above are
assistance for flooding events is the National Flood
authorized. For others, some assistance types are not
Insurance Program (NFIP), which is not funded through the
authorized. Figure 2 compares the actual and projected
DRF. For more information on the NFIP, please refer to
obligations for different types of assistance provided to
CRS Report R44593, Introduction to FEMA’s National
Tennessee as a result of a major disaster declaration from
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
FY2000 to FY2015.
Additional Resources
Figure 2. DRF Assistance for Tennessee, by Type
Many existing CRS products address issues related to the
(FY2000-FY2015)
DRF, the disaster declaration process, and types of DRF
assistance. Below is a list of several of these resources:
CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on
Responding to Major Disasters and Emergencies
CRS Report R43519, Natural Disasters and Hazards:
CRS Experts
CRS Report R43784, FEMA’s Disaster Declaration
Process: A Primer
CRS Report R43537, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund:
Overview and Selected Issues
CRS Report R44619, FEMA Disaster Housing: The
Individuals and Households Program—Implementation
and Potential Issues for Congress
CRS Report R43990, FEMA’s Public Assistance Grant
Program: Background and Considerations for Congress
CRS Experts
Source: CRS analysis of FEMA DRF obligation data as of December
FEMA Disaster Assistance:
2015.
Bruce R. Lindsay
Jared T. Brown
Note: The specific assistance within each of the identified types may
Shawn Reese
have changed in the period FY2000 to FY2015.
Other FEMA Assistance Funded
National Flood Insurance Program:
Through the DRF
Diane P. Horn
In addition to the major disaster assistance described above,
there are other forms of assistance that are funded through
Bruce R. Lindsay, Analyst in American National
the DRF. These include assistance associated with
Government
Emergency Declarations and with Fire Management
IF10100
Assistance Grants. The funding associated with these types
of assistance typically results in lower obligation levels than
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Major Disaster Assistance from the DRF: Tennessee
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
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