Pritzker requests FEMA disaster assistance for 8 counties impacted by August severe storms

Gov. JB Pritzker has officially requested disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency following last month's severe weather.

The request for individual and public assistance will cover eight Illinois counties impacted by severe weather from Aug. 11-16, including Champaign, Cook (including Chicago), Ford, Fulton, McLean, Tazewell, Vermilion, and Will. 

The request through FEMA would provide grants for temporary housing and damage repair. Residents could also apply for low-cost loans to pay for losses not covered by insurance.

Pritzker also issued a Gubernatorial Disaster Proclamation, extending last month's proclamation for an additional 30 days to provide continued support for local response efforts and recovery operations from the storms.

Earlier this month, officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the State of Illinois visited homeowners in Homewood, Illinois, to document the damage caused by the storms. Fourteen teams were dispersed to eight counties in Illinois.

FEMA Public Information Officer Kim Keblish said that once the state puts in a request and it's approved, they would implement the program immediately.

The Trump administration has denied aid to Illinois in the past, but Pritzker says he expects it to be approved given the scale of the destruction.