GuideFEMA
FEMA declaration numbers: DR, EM and FM
A FEMA declaration number names its program and its state: DR-4933-IN is major disaster 4933 in Indiana. FEMA has made 2,937 major disaster, 654 emergency and 1,676 fire management declarations since 1953 (OpenFEMA); the newest on record is EM-3654-HI.
By AreaZine · Updated · written with AI tools and checked against the agencies' records (editorial policy)
The three prefixes
| Prefix | Declaration | What it can open | Since 1953 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR | Major disaster declaration | Individual Assistance (including the Individuals and Households Program), Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation | 2,937 |
| EM | Emergency declaration | narrower federal help, often before or at the start of an event (for example debris removal and protective measures) | 654 |
| FM | Fire management assistance declaration | a share of the cost of fighting a wildfire that threatens a community | 1,676 |
Source: FEMA, OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries; FEMA, How a Disaster Gets Declared.
How the number is written
The same declaration appears as DR-4933-IN (FEMA's "declaration string"), FEMA-4933-DR (the form used in the Federal Register), or simply disaster 4933. The number is unique across all types and states: 4933 is only ever Indiana's major disaster of August 2026. Emergency and fire management numbers run in their own ranges (3000s and 5000s in recent years).
The programs
A major disaster declaration lists, for each designated county or tribal area, which programs are open. Individual Assistance helps households (the Individuals and Households Program pays for housing and other needs); Public Assistance pays part of the cost of emergency work and of repairing public infrastructure; Hazard Mitigation funds projects that reduce future risk. FEMA often adds counties or programs to a declaration in the weeks after the first day, so the list on the day of the declaration is rarely the final one.
Looking one up
Every declaration has a record on AreaZine at /declarations/ followed by its string in lower case, for example /declarations/dr-4933-in, with the current designated areas, the programs per area and the money FEMA has approved. To apply for help, use DisasterAssistance.gov or call FEMA at 800-621-3362.