FEMA Issues Emergency Declaration for Louisiana Following Severe Winter Storm

What Happened

On January 24, 2026, the federal government issued an emergency declaration (EM-3638-LA) for the state of Louisiana in response to a severe winter storm. The incident period began on January 23, 2026. This emergency declaration (EM) is designed to provide immediate federal support to supplement state and local response efforts during the ongoing weather event.

Affected Areas

Based on the current declaration, the following area has been designated for federal assistance:

• Acadia Parish

Federal Assistance Available

FEMA has activated the Public Assistance (PA) program for the designated area. This program provides federal funding for emergency work to save lives and protect property and public health.

At this time, the Individual Assistance (IA) program, the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), and Hazard Mitigation (HM) assistance have not been activated for this declaration.

What You Should Do

Local government officials in Acadia Parish should coordinate with state emergency management agencies to document emergency response expenses. While Individual Assistance for residents is not currently part of this declaration, individuals are encouraged to monitor local news for safety updates and stay informed through official state emergency management channels. For general information on FEMA assistance programs, you can visit DisasterAssistance.gov.

Source

Information provided by FEMA.