FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) program provides grants to state, local, tribal and territorial governments and certain private non‑profits to reimburse eligible disaster‑related costs. Common reimbursable categories include debris removal (Category A), emergency protective measures (Category B), temporary emergency work and repair or replacement of damaged public infrastructure (Categories C–G), and related administrative costs; PA also supports eligible hazard‑mitigation activities tied to recovery. (Applicants must follow PA rules and documentation requirements.)
A Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO) is the senior federal official appointed by the President after a major disaster or emergency to coordinate federal assistance in the affected area. The FCO makes initial appraisals of urgent needs, establishes field offices (including the Joint Field Office), coordinates federal, state and local relief efforts and partner organizations, and oversees delivery of federal assistance consistent with law and the presidential declaration.
An Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) is a rapidly deployable FEMA team of Incident Command System‑qualified personnel that provides an early federal field presence. A 12‑person IMAT typically establishes initial incident operations, helps set up unified command or coordination structures, collects and shares situational awareness, conducts initial assessments, advises state/local officials, supports incident action planning, and helps prioritize and request federal resources. IMATs can deploy quickly and connect field needs to federal decision‑makers.
A FEMA mission assignment is an official tasking and funding mechanism under the Stafford Act that directs other federal agencies to provide specific support (personnel, equipment, technical assistance or services) during response and recovery. Mission assignments authorize the agency to act, set scope and costs, and allow FEMA to reimburse or fund that agency’s work so federal partners (e.g., USACE, USFS) can assist quickly under FEMA coordination.
DHS/FEMA can expedite financial assistance using such authorities as expedited Public Assistance reimbursements (including pre‑approved or advance funding), mission assignments to obligate federal partner resources, and streamlined documentation/assessment practices under the PAPPG; timing varies but "expedited" reimbursements for emergency protective measures can be approved within days to weeks once eligible work is documented and the declaration/amendment is in place, though full reimbursement timelines depend on application completeness and grant processing.
"Department of War" is not a current U.S. cabinet agency name; it is a historical term (19th‑century and earlier) and its appearance in a modern release is a mistake or legacy reference, not the name of a current federal department. The current defense department is the U.S. Department of Defense (established 1947).
Individuals and households should apply through FEMA’s disaster assistance portal (DisasterAssistance.gov), the FEMA mobile app, or by calling FEMA’s helpline (800‑621‑3362 / TTY 800‑462‑7585); they can also contact Mississippi Emergency Management Agency or local disaster recovery centers for in‑person help and find current local resources on FEMA’s state disaster page and the one‑stop winter storm resources page linked in the release.