The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a Declaration of Disaster for Kerr County, Disaster 4879. The following resources are available to provide recovery assistance.
FEMA
Qualifying Texans in Kerr County are eligible to apply for FEMA individual assistance through September 4, 2025, on the Disaster Assistance website, the FEMA mobile app, or by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Instructions with American Sign Language support (and in Spanish) detail what is needed when applying for assistance. This funding can be used for temporary housing, home repair, property loss, legal services, unemployment assistance, medical, dental and funeral expenses caused by the disaster. Affected Texans are asked, once it is safe, to submit information about damage by visiting https://damage.tdem.texas.gov/.
At this time, the declaration Area of Designation is only Kerr County. However, this could be amended to include additional counties at a later date. The Texas Division of Emergency Management website has more on Texas response efforts.
Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF)
The Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), a public-private partnership between FEMA and the Smithsonian Institution, is supporting response and recovery efforts of Texas’ arts and culture sector—and the public.
- Cultural institutions, arts organizations, and artists and performing groups can call the National Heritage Responders hotline at 202-661-8068. The National Heritage Responders, a team of trained conservators and collections care professionals administered by the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation, are available 24/7 to provide advice and guidance.
- Members of the public and individual artists who have questions about saving family heirlooms and personal collections can email the National Heritage Responders at NHRpublichelpline@culturalheritage.org.
- HENTF’s Save Your Family Treasures guidance is available. Downloadable FEMA fact sheets “After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures” and “Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Heirlooms,” are available in multiple languages.
- Cultural institutions or arts organizations that were affected are encouraged to fill out one of the following Rapid Damage Assessment Forms hosted by the National Coalition of Arts Preparedness and Emergency Response and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation:
Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA)
The Texas Collections Emergency Resource Alliance (TX-CERA) is a private nonprofit organization in Texas whose mission is to serve as an education resource for disaster preparedness, response and recovery for Texas Cultural Heritage Institutions through grants and other resources. Their support hotline number is 669-237-2243.
Texas Library Association Disaster Relief Fund
The Texas Library Association awards grants from the organization’s Disaster Relief Fund to libraries impacted by natural disasters. Grants range from $1,500 to $5,000 and can be used for technology, facility repair, collections, furnishings, or other needs related to storm damage. Academic, public, school, and special libraries are eligible to receive assistance. TLA is accepting grant applications from libraries impacted by the recent storms and flooding through September 15.
