OLYMPIA, WA – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ recent emergency declaration for Washington state signals continued federal support as communities recover from a series of severe December storms that strained health care access and critical infrastructure.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. informed Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday that the cabinet-level federal agency was declaring a public health emergency for Washington to address ongoing health impacts due to recent severe storms.
December has proven to be especially challenging for Puget Sound residents, as Western Washington was hit by back-to-back atmospheric rivers that brought record rainfall and widespread disruption.
The storms triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and power outages, with some areas receiving more than 10 inches of rain in 72 hours. Rivers including the Skagit and Snohomish reached flood stage, forcing major road closures, including Interstate 90.
In response, on Dec. 12, President Donald Trump approved Washington’s request for emergency assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
On Dec. 17, Ferguson directed $1 million to the state’s Disaster Cash Assistance Program to provide direct aid to Washingtonians impacted by the flooding. The funds were fully depleted six days later after assisting more than 2,000 households, according to WA.gov, the official, central portal for state government.
The federal agency’s declaration allows health care providers and suppliers under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to operate with greater flexibility while meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
“HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm,” HHS Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary John Knox said in a Wednesday statement.
Washington state has received targeted emergency assistance from the federal government for severe flooding while simultaneously engaging in multiple legal and policy battles with the Trump administration
As of Wednesday, Washington has filed 49 cases against the current federal administration. Attorney General Nick Brown is leading or co-leading 19 of those lawsuits. The total amount of funding at issue in the cases is more than $15 billion.
Earlier this year, FEMA denied the application for federal disaster relief in response to Washington’s request for disaster relief funding tied to a bomb cyclone in November 2024.
