The Preliminary  Damage Assessment (PDA) is a joint venture of  FEMA, the State, and applicants to document the impact and magnitude of the  disaster on individuals, families, businesses, and public property and to  gather information for disaster management purposes. The Governor will use  the information gathered during the PDA process to determine whether Federal  assistance should be requested and forms the basis for the disaster  declaration.
   The PDA is conducted once the State determines  that the recovery effort may be beyond State and local capabilities. State  officials will ask the appropriate FEMA Regional Office to conduct a joint  PDA with State and local officials in those areas defined by the State. All  the damages or expenses must be assigned to the county or independent city in  which they occurred, even those that belong to State agencies. After the PDA  teams have documented the damage, the Governor will determine whether to  request Federal disaster assistance. The Governor may limit the request for  assistance or may seek the full range of assistance authorized under the type  of declaration being requested. The Governor’s request is addressed to the  President but submitted through the appropriate FEMA Regional  Administrator.
   References:   44 CFR §206.33
   Public Assistance Guide, FEMA 322, pages 2,  90-91