How To Understand the Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA was created by a US Presidential Order in 1979. It is an agency, the purpose of which is to assist and respond to disaster-stricken states of the United States. FEMA is presently headed by a Director who has been appointed by the US President.

How it works

The Governor of the state where the disaster has occurred will declare a state of emergency. With this declaration, simultaneously comes a request for FEMA’s assistance. The federal government responds through recovery, mitigation, preparedness, and emergency planning. It is FEMA that coordinates the responses to the disaster. It funds emergency programs and stands ready to set up federal resources in a terrible disaster. FEMA’s activities are generally organized and coordinated to provide recovery support after a disaster. Most importantly, its broad-based program protects property and life.

Source of funds

The source of funds after a major disaster comes from the President’s Disaster Relief Fund. The 24 congressional committees and subcommittees provide the budget for FEMA’s programs. Its operating budget consists of different programs for the state.
The agency has more than 2,700 employees in its head office in Washington as well as in its ten regional offices. These employees report directly to the White House.

FEMA is good at predicting disasters facing the USA. Because of this FEMA was raised to the status of cabinet level. Its director initiated reforms, which streamlined the disaster recovery and improvement process. The disasters predicted by FEMA include (i) terrorist attack in New York, (ii) earthquake in San Francisco, and (iii) hurricane in New Orleans.

Although FEMA was elevated to a cabinet level, it is not a cabinet agency. This elevation made it very easy for FEMA to be included into the US Department of Homeland Security. During cabinet meetings, the US President may pick one officer of FEMA to attend the meeting. But because there was no executive order or legislation for its elevating to cabinet level, the position remains pro forma.

FEMA’s programs

Dam safety, hazardous materials planning, flood-plain management, planning for emergency management, man-caused emergencies, and recovery from natural disasters are among FEMA’s important programs. Offsite planning for emergencies are also one of its other activities. This offsite planning is important to lessen the impact of disaster when it comes.

Nuclear power plants and chemical stockpile sites of the Army have to be protected against major disasters so that emergencies will not occur. Funding for the homeless and emergency food and shelter for the people have to be available at all cost. This is one of FEMA’s activities that make it powerful and being recognized by the Federal government.

FEMA not only concentrates on hurricanes, typhoons and floods but it also concerns itself with other emergencies of the US. The A(H1N1) virus has also become a concern of the agency. It is also concerned with terrorists attacks and tries to respond, recover and diminish their impact to the people by rendering their needed support through local, state or federal government.