Maine Flood Resources And Assistance Hub

This page has been developed to help Maine people find information, resources, and assistance to stay safe and recover from interior and coastal flooding caused by recent storms. It will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

News Updates

Disaster Assistance

  • Federal disaster assistance is now available in Maine counties affected by severe storms and flooding from Dec. 17-21, 2023.

  • (Note: Federal assistance is still being evaluated for the storms of January 10 and 13; this website will be update when information is available). 

  • Individuals and business owners can begin applying for assistance by registering at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. 

    Androscoggin, Franklin, Hancock, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo and Washington: State, Tribal, eligible local governments, and certain nonprofit organizations are eligible for federal funding for emergency work and the repair or replacement of damaged facilities. 

    Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford and Somerset: Affected individuals and businesses are eligible for grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help recovery. Assistance available to impacted individuals and businesses in these counties include:

  • FEMA Financial Assistance: Grants that can help cover the cost of temporary housing, home repairs, uninsured and underinsured personal property losses, medical, dental, funeral expenses. Applicants should file insurance claims as soon as possible. Assistance cannot duplicate coverage for losses covered by insurance, so the agency will need to see what your insurance covers to process your application. 

    Low-interest Disaster Loans for Homeowners and Renters: Homeowners and renters may be eligible to receive a low-interest loan from the SBA to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property. 

    Business Physical Disaster Loans: Low-interest loans from the SBA are available to help businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible. 

  • Economic Injury Disaster Loans: Low-interest capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period.

  • Loans are available to eligible businesses in in Androscoggin, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Somerset Counties, but businesses that experienced economic injury from the storm in the contiguous counties of Aroostook, Cumberland, Lincoln, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Waldo, and York may also apply for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

Find Disaster Assistance In Your County

Select a county on the left to show assistance programs in your area. Click the program name to be taken to its website and application portal. Filter by eligible entity. If a federal Diasaster Recovery Center is located in your county, find the address and hours of operation.

Insurance Resources

Unemployment Eligibility

On January 31, 2024, President Biden approved Governor Mills' request for a major disaster declaration for Maine as it recovers from the storm on December 18, 2023.

This declaration allows the Maine Department of Labor to provide temporary financial assistance to people whose employment or self-employment was impacted by the December 18, 2023 storm in the following counties: Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, Somerset, and Franklin.

Note: This is for the December 18, 2023 storm only, not the subsequent storms in January 2024. This website will be update when information is available. 

However, if you are out of work due to the effects of a storm, even temporarily, the Department of Labor encourages you to apply for unemployment insurance.

Unemployment insurance is a temporary partial wage replacement for those who have lost their employment or hours due to no fault of their own.

For more information on unemployment insurance and eligibility requirements, visit https://www.maine.gov/unemployment/

 

Flood Cleanup

  • During flooding, basement fuel oil tanks can float and release oil. If you have an oil spill requiring cleanup, Maine DEP can often provide cleanup services at little or no cost to you. This service is available after any weather event. Request it by calling Maine DEP at (800) 482-0777. The line is staffed 24/7.
  • The Maine Ground and Surface Waters
    Clean-up and Response Fund (Fund) is established to assist with certain costs and claims incurred as the result of an oil spill. To learn more, download this brochure from Maine DEP.
  • For more information on how to clean or repair flood damage, consult this guide from the U.S. EPA.

Roadway Safety

  • For up-to-date road closure information visit www.newengland511.org
  • If you see road hazards emerging such as sinkholes, landslides, or new or unmarked sections of dangerous or eroded roadways, please call 911.
  • Maine law requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching stopped emergency, public service, or disabled vehicles on the side of the road. Be sure to slow down and give space to line and tree crews working to restore power. It will protect your safety and theirs.

 Food Assistance

  • General Assistance (GA) is another resource that Maine people can access to address immediate needs related to the recent storms.

    In an emergency, GA administrators in municipalities may presume individuals are eligible prior to full verification if the applicant reports an emergency that requires immediate assistance. Loss of food or other impacts related to storms may be considered as a qualifying emergency.

    People can apply for GA in their city or town offices. If you are not able to reach your local GA administrator, call 1-800-442-6003. 

  • Find food pantries and other food assistance agencies and programs in your area, or search by zip code using this map from Good Shepherd Food Bank.

Tree Debris Safety

  • Homeowners are encouraged to promptly address downed trees and branches, especially those affecting homes and power lines.

    For trees entangled with power lines, it is essential to contact local power companies for assistance. Even if a fallen limb is not near power or utility wires, it's advisable to rely on professionals to assess the extent of the damage before attempting repairs or removal.

    For trees or large branches threatening or impacting homes or businesses, enlist the help of a reputable licensed arborist to take care of cleanup. Arborists are trained tree care professionals with the skills to evaluate and rectify storm-damaged trees. They can determine how much of a tree can or should be salvaged. Beware of fly-by-night emergency tree-cutting services, and always request proof of licensing, insurance, and references.

    Woody debris from storm damage may harbor harmful insects or diseases that threaten our forests. Transporting this debris over long distances can unintentionally spread pests to new areas. In addition to the risks it brings to our environment and economy, violation of rules governing debris movement jeopardizes eligibility for federal aid in the event of a disaster declaration.

    If you suspect damage from such pests, take photos and share them with the Maine Forest Service to aid in pest management efforts.

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Food Safety

  • Avoid foodborne illnesses during prolonged power outages by monitoring the temperature of refrigerators and freezers and discarding any perishable food or beverages that have been above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (F) for two hours or more. Any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture should also be discarded.

  • Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer at all times to see if food is being stored at safe temperatures (40 degrees F) for the refrigerator; 0 degrees F for the freezer. Most foodborne illness is caused by bacteria that multiply rapidly at temperatures above 40 degrees.

    Leave the freezer door closed. A full freezer should keep food safe for about two days; a half-full freezer for about one day. Add bags of ice or dry ice to the freezer if it appears the power will be off for an extended period of time. You can safely refreeze thawed foods that still contain ice crystals or feel cold and solid to the touch.

    Refrigerated items should be safe as long as the power is out no more than about four to six hours. Discard any perishable food that has been above 40 degrees F for four hours or more and any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.

    Leave the refrigerator door closed as much as possible. Every time you open it, cold air escapes and the temperature rises. If it appears the power will be off more than six hours, transfer refrigerated perishable foods to an insulated cooler filled with ice or frozen gel packs. Keep a thermometer in the cooler to be sure the food stays at 40 degrees F or below.

    Never taste food to determine its safety. Some foods may look and smell fine, but if they've been at room temperature longer than two hours, bacteria can multiply very rapidly. Some types will produce toxins that are not destroyed by cooking and could make you sick.

Generator Safety

  • Using portable gas-powered generators can quickly cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning when they are run in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. CO is a colorless, odorless gas formed when burning most types of fuels.
  • Warning signs of CO poisoning are similar to flu symptoms that include: Headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion or altered mental status.
  • Fever is not a symptom of CO poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause coma and death in a matter of minutes, depending on exposure.
  • According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), hundreds of people die across the United States due to CO poisoning ever year.
  • To prevent CO poisoning:
  • Place your generator outdoors. Keep your generator at least 20 feet from windows and doors. Do not put a generator in a closed or partly closed space, like a basement, cellar bulkhead, garage, or porch, even if doors and windows are open
  • Follow the safety instructions for operating your portable generator.
  • Do not use outdoor cooking devices indoors like gas or charcoal grills and gas camp stoves.
  • Place a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector near each sleeping area in your home. Look for the Underwriters Laboratory "UL certification" marked with the "Station Carbon Monoxide Alarm" statement.
  • Check CO detectors regularly to be sure they are functioning properly.
  • If carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected, leave the house at once, call 911, and do not go back into the building until the fire department tells you it is safe.

Heating & Energy Guides

Winter Heating Guide: Find key information, helpful tips, and links to online resources to explore heating options and energy assistance programs from the Governor's Energy Office. A specific propane heating guide for Maine consumers (PDF) is also available.

If you are using an alternative heat source, like electric space heaters, wood stoves, or kerosene heaters, find safety tips here.

Electric space heaters should be carefully checked before use and monitored constantly while in use. Burn only seasoned hardwoods in wood stoves, not trash or cardboard, because these items burn unevenly, may contain toxins, and increase the risk of uncontrolled fires. Always ventilate rooms by slightly opening a window when using a kerosene heater.

Electricity bill assistance: Eligible Maine residents can apply for additional financial assistance with their electricity bills this winter. Eligible households were mailed a letter with instructions on how to apply; if you did not receive a letter and need assistance, fill out this online form to have your potential eligibility evaluated.

The amount of financial support through the LIAP program is variable depending on household income, size, and other factors. Those who are enrolled in the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will automaticaly be enrolled in LIAP.

Find Shelter

  • Find a Warming Center or Emergency Shelter in your area.
  • These facilities are operated independently at the local level. If you have special considerations, such as an electric medical device or medication requiring refrigeration, call the Center or Shelter in advance. Pets may or may not be allowed.
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Mental Health Resources

  • 988:If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
  • The 988 Lifeline responds 24 hours a day, seven days a week to calls, chats or texts from anyone who needs support for suicidal, mental health, and/or substance use crisis, and connects those in need with trained crisis counselors. Individuals can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
  • 211 Maine:If you or someone you know needs other support and you don’t know who to call, reach out to 211.
  • 211 Maine is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people of all ages across Maine to local services. 211 Maine is based in Maine and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.