COLUMBIA – The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved fifteen additional counties for Individual Assistance, allowing survivors who sustained losses to apply for aid in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Counties approved for FEMA Individual Assistance include: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Sumter and Williamsburg.
 
Assistance can include money for temporary rental assistance and essential home repairs for primary homes, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help survivors recover from the effects of the disaster. 

Marion and Orangeburg counties were previously designated for Individual Assistance.
 
Survivors can register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362. Disaster assistance applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing should call 800-462-7585 (TTY); those who use Video Relay Service may call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate 7 AM to 10 PM seven days a week until further notice.
 
Six counties were also approved for categories A and B of Public Assistance to help them recover from the storm: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton, Lee and Sumter. This assistance from FEMA enables state agencies, local governments and certain private non-profits to recoup costs for storm response and debris removal.
  
The FEMA Public Assistance program categories are as follows: 
 
Category A: Debris Removal.
Category B: Emergency Protective Measures.
Category C: Roads and Bridges.  
Category D: Water Control Facilities.
Category E: Buildings and Equipment.
Category F: Utilities.
Category G: Parks, Recreational Facilities and Other Items.
 
The FEMA Public Assistance program is a reimbursement grant program. Typically, the federal share is 75 percent and the state or local governments pay the remaining 25 percent whereas eligible private non-profit groups are responsible for the full 25 percent. More information about this program can be found here.
 
Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Marion, and Williamsburg counties were previously designated for Public Assistance.