Public paper · October 3, 2026 · Ohio

Seven Ohio counties can apply for federal storm aid. Most of the request is not on the list.

FEMA’s Oct. 2 declaration, DR-4945-OH, opens individual help through Dec. 1 for August storm damage in seven counties. Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation are not declared.

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People in seven Ohio counties can now ask the federal government for help after August storms. Most counties in the state’s request are still not on the federal list.

On Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said President Donald J. Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Ohio. FEMA numbered it DR-4945-OH. The agency said the disaster was severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, and landslides from Aug. 10 through Aug. 22, 2026.

Help is open for people in Clermont, Franklin, Hamilton, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, and Perry counties. Those are the only seven places in FEMA’s OpenFEMA records for this disaster. The records were refreshed on Oct. 3. In each county, the Individuals and Households Program is marked yes. Public Assistance is marked no. Hazard Mitigation is marked no. Public Assistance can help towns pay for debris and repairs to public property. Hazard Mitigation can help pay for projects meant to lessen the next disaster.

FEMA said the aid can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and low-cost loans for losses insurance does not cover. File an insurance claim first. Then apply at disasterassistance.gov, call 1-800-621-3362, or use the FEMA app. If you use a relay service, give FEMA that number. FEMA named Brian F. Schiller the Federal Coordinating Officer. The agency said more places may be added later if more damage checks support it.

OpenFEMA lists Dec. 1, 2026, as the last day to file for individual assistance. That date is in the data set. It is not in the short press release.

The help now open is smaller than what Ohio leaders asked for in September.

On Sept. 3, Rep. Troy Balderson and Sens. Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno wrote the president. They backed a request Gov. Mike DeWine sent to FEMA Region V on Sept. 2. Their letter said weather from Aug. 10 through Aug. 23 included a derecho, tornadoes, and flooding. That end date is one day later than Aug. 22 in the declaration. The letter said the storms killed two people, left 300,000 Ohioans without power, and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. Citing the governor, it said teams checked more than 2,000 structures in 23 counties and found at least 50 destroyed, 806 with major damage, and 475 with minor damage. It also said there were 59 water rescues and 10 shelters in five counties. As of Sept. 2, two shelters were still open. The public-assistance review was still going on, the letter said.

Balderson’s office listed these 23 counties in the request: Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Darke, Fairfield, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Highland, Licking, Logan, Madison, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Preble, Richland, Shelby, and Washington. FEMA named seven.

Some details in local news are not in FEMA’s press release. The Perry County Tribune reported on Oct. 3 that the governor was told of the approval Friday afternoon. It said the other 16 counties are still under review, and that statewide hazard-mitigation help is still pending. It also said aid includes rental help, replacement of personal property, crisis counseling, disaster unemployment aid, legal services, and Small Business Administration loans, and that teams confirmed 17 tornadoes. The Columbus Dispatch reported the same pending-review point, citing a governor’s office release. This desk could not open governor.ohio.gov on Oct. 3.

FEMA’s data guide says two markers should be read together. The Individuals and Households marker is yes. A second Individual Assistance marker is no. The press release still says help for people is available. It does not name counseling, unemployment aid, or legal services.

The disaster page, updated Oct. 3, says FEMA may inspect a home, ask for more papers, and mail a letter with the decision, the amount, how the money must be used, and how to appeal. No dollar total for this disaster was posted there.

If the storms damaged your home in one of the seven counties, file with your insurer, then apply by Dec. 1, 2026. If you live in one of the other counties named in September, you are not on FEMA’s current list for DR-4945-OH.

County hubs for Clermont, Franklin, Hamilton, Licking, Morgan, Muskingum, and Perry, Ohio.

Not legal advice. Not a newspaper. Not Legal Publication. Record of Sale, LLC (Oregon).