TDEM urges Uvalde County to submit FEMA public‑assistance RPA by Oct. 1 for DR‑4935

Texas Division of Emergency Management regional recovery coordinator Reagan Middleton told the Uvalde County Commissioner Court that FEMA assigned the recent flood and severe‑weather disaster federal designation DR‑4935 and that the county has 30 days from the Sept. 1 declaration to request public assistance.

"Because we were declared on September 1st, we have 30 days to request public assistance," Middleton said, and added that TDEM staff had laptops available to help eligible applicants submit RPAs that day. He said applicants who do not submit an RPA within that window risk losing eligibility to seek FEMA public‑assistance reimbursement for damages tied to the incident period (July 12–Aug. 4, 2026).

Middleton outlined the next steps after an RPA is submitted: FEMA will assign a Program Delivery Manager and schedule a recovery scoping meeting (RSM). He cautioned that the RSM starts a separate 60‑day clock for jurisdictions to record all damages on a damage inventory that will be grouped into projects for scoping and cost estimate development. "When we sit down with FEMA for that first meeting, the RSM ... starts a clock for 60 days," Middleton said.

County officials confirmed they can log into FEMA Grants Portal and submit the RPA and said the county is already documenting damage and staff time. Middleton and TDEM staff reiterated they would work with county staff through the portal and in subsequent scoping meetings to develop projects and move them toward obligation and reimbursement.

Next procedural milestones to watch: submit the RPA by Oct. 1; participate in the RSM and complete the 60‑day damage inventory; and work with the state and FEMA on project scoping and obligation before submitting reimbursement requests in the state's Grants Management System (GMS).