Documents show state’s disaster request met FEMA’s threshold
[October 17, 2026]
By Ben Szalinski
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. JB Pritzker’s presidential disaster request that was
denied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency met the threshold for
statewide disaster assistance, according to state documents.
However, some counties, including Cook, did not meet FEMA’s standards by
themselves, though federal rules allow states to add smaller damage
totals from other counties to disaster requests.
A spokesperson for FEMA did not explain why Illinois’ request was denied
and did not say if the agency conducted additional in-person damage
assessments.
“Just like all declaration requests, FEMA follows the Stafford Act and
its regulations to support the determination process on whether federal
assistance is warranted to supplement state, local, tribal or
territorial efforts and capabilities provided by the state of Illinois,”
the agency said in a statement. “The law and regulations require FEMA to
review each request closely and consider the unique circumstances of
disaster-caused damages as well as state and local capacity.”
Pritzker submitted a request to FEMA last month seeking resources to
help the eight counties recover from flooding, tornadoes and severe wind
damage. The governor’s request covered Champaign, Cook, Ford, Fulton,
McLean, Tazewell, Vermilion and Will counties. He’s appealing FEMA’s
denial.
The state itself spent $2.2 million on “personnel, expertise and
equipment,” $100,000 to activate the State Emergency Operations Center,
and $1.5 million in community development block grant funds for disaster
response.
There were 4,519 residential structures damaged throughout the state,
including 46 that were completely destroyed. Most of the destroyed homes
were in Cook County, which also accounted for half of the state’s
damaged homes. All the damage to homes added up to $19.5 million.
Many residents also suffered flood damage that was not covered by
insurance. The state’s numbers show 48% of Cook County residents
suffered uninsured losses.
FEMA’s standards
According to the documents, Illinois’ total damage exceeded FEMA’s
thresholds. Per capita, damage in the affected counties was $5.95, while
FEMA requires $1.94 for Illinois to qualify for aid. The damage totaled
$27.6 million, while FEMA’s standard for the state is $24.9 million.
FEMA conducted public assistance damage assessments virtually and the
state asked FEMA to conduct in-person damage assessments to verify the
numbers. Damage in Cook County was only 63% of the $18.6 million total
required in the county for public assistance from FEMA, but the state
argued in its application that an in-person assessment by FEMA would
raise the total to that threshold.
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Storm damage can be seen throughout Lansing, Illinois, on Aug. 14,
2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Only half of the eight counties in the request met their local
thresholds for damage: Fulton, McLean, Vermilion and Will.
“FEMA is required to consider concentrated local impacts of this kind,
recognize that severe damage in specific areas can justify a declaration
on its own, even where the statewide per capita indicator is not met,”
the state said in its original request. “This event meets that standard
and supports a (public assistance) declaration under this factor,
regardless of the statewide average. Damage from this event is
concentrated, not evenly spread.”
Pritzker’s request noted Indiana received federal help for the same
storms:
“The same weather system carried into Northwest Indiana that same day,
producing repeated rounds of heavy rain through August 16th, with NWS
Indianapolis describing the resulting central Indiana flooding as
catastrophic,” Pritzker’s request said. “On August 25th, 2026, FEMA
approved a major disaster declaration for Indiana with both Individual
Assistance and Public Assistance, FEMA-4933-DR, for severe storms,
straight line, winds, tornadoes, and flooding using a single incident
period of August 11, 2026, and continuing.”
A Politico analysis earlier this year found Democrat-led states saw just
23% of their disaster requests granted in his second term, compared to
89% for Republican states. Under the past six administrations —
including Trump’s first term — states led by either party saw similar
rates of approval, between 70% and 90%. The analysis also found the
administration took twice as long to issue decisions on requests from
blue states.
“Whoever serves as governor or as president of the United States, their
obligation is to serve everybody, even the people that didn’t vote for
them, and that’s not the way Donald Trump is operating the federal
government,” Pritzker said on Thursday.
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