TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Feb 12, 2026

After Winter Storm Fern left more than 300,000 Tennesseans without power and caused widespread damage, President Donald Trump approved a major disaster declaration on Feb. 6 — but only for public assistance, not yet for individuals. FEMA is still reviewing whether uninsured or underinsured residents will qualify for federal aid, and there is no timeline for a decision. The storm killed 29 people, caused prolonged outages in Nashville and led to significant infrastructure repairs, prompting state officials to urge residents to document damages and file insurance claims. So far, 15 counties have been approved for full public assistance and eight more for emergency protective measures. The Tennessee Lookout has the story.