Assistance for Severe Weather and Flooding that occurred in December 2023 and January 2024 Residents of Kent, Providence, and Washington counties, who were affected by severe storms and flooding that occurred between December 17-19, 2023, and between January 9-13, 2024, can apply for federal assistance. Homeowners and renters who received property loss or damages by either disaster in those counties have until May 20, 2024, to apply. When applying for assistance, you will need to describe what damage(s) happened on which date to ensure you’re applying under the correct disaster.FEMA Assistance - Several ways for homeowners and renters to apply. 1. Visit the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at: Curtis Corner Middle School 301 Curtis Corner Road Wakefield, RI 02879 - Hours of operation: 8 a.m.– 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Help is available in most languages. 3. Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov (also in Spanish). 4. Download the FEMA mobile app (also in Spanish), available at Google Play or the Apple App Store. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Register for FEMA Disaster Assistance - YouTube SBA Assistance - Ways to apply for low-interest disaster loans available to businesses and residents in Rhode Island 1. Visit the Business Recovery Center (BRC) at: North Providence Public Safety Complex 1835 Mineral Spring Avenue North Providence, RI 02904 - Hours of operation: 9 a.m.– 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 2. Apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. 3. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 4. Email: disastercustomerservice@sba.gov To view an accessible video on how to apply for SBA visit Reasons to apply for a SBA Loan.
Heat Waves & Extreme Heat In Rhode Island, when the outside temperature goes above 90 degrees for three or more days, it is classified as a heat wave. If the hot temperatures last for several weeks, it is called extreme heat. Heat waves and extreme heat can cause dust storms or droughts. For individuals, heat waves and extreme heat can cause sunburn or heat-related illnesses. Older adults, young children, and anyone who has a chronic health condition are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Heat illnesses have the potential to be life-threatening. That is why it is important to make sure you and your family are prepared to beat the heat. Download the Extreme Heat Safety Guide to learn how you can prepare for a heat wave and extreme heat. The Extreme Heat Safety Guide also contains information about heat illnesses and how to treat them. Extreme Heat Safety Guide PDF file, less than 1mbmegabytes Extreme Heat and Power Outages Heat waves also have the potential to cause blackouts in heavily-populated areas, due to the heavy use of air cooling devices. In some instances brownouts will occur either intentionally or unintentionally which results in electricity reduction. Brownouts are a drop in voltage in a power supply system that may be caused by a disruption of an electrical grid, or it may be imposed in order to prevent a blackout. To learn more about power outages and to prepare for them, click here.