 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | November 4, 2014[1] |
| Employees | 7,474 (October 8, 2011)[2] |
| Annual budget | $10.9 billion (2012)[3] |
| Agency executives |
|
| Parent agency | U.S. Department of Homeland Security |
| Website | www.FEMA.gov |
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders on April 1, 1979.[4][5] The agency's primary purpose is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States and that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities. The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the president that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster. FEMA also provides these services for territories of the United States, such as Puerto Rico. The only exception to the state's gubernatorial declaration requirement occurs when an emergency and/or disaster takes place on federal property or to a federal asset, for example; the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, or the Space Shuttle Columbia in the 2003 return-flight disaster.
History edit
Federal emergency management in the U.S. has existed in one form or another for over 200 years.[citation needed] FEMA's history is summarized as follows.
FEMA as an independent agency (1979–2003) edit
FEMA was established under the 1978 Reorganization Plan No. 3, and activated April 1, 1979, by President Jimmy Carter in his Executive Order 12127.
In July, Carter signed Executive Order 12148 shifting disaster relief efforts to the new federal-level agency. FEMA absorbed the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Preparedness Agency of the General Services Administration and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration activities from HUD. FEMA was also given the responsibility for overseeing the nation's Civil Defense, a function which had previously been performed by the Department of Defense's Defense Civil Preparedness Agency.
FEMA under Department of Homeland Security (2003–present) edit
Following the September 11, 2001, attacks, Congress passed the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better coordinate among the different federal agencies that deal with law enforcement, disaster preparedness and recovery, border protection and civil defense. FEMA was absorbed into DHS effective March 1, 2003. As a result, FEMA became part of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of Department of Homeland Security, employing more than 2,600 full-time employees. It became the Federal Emergency Management Agency again on March 31, 2007, but remained in DHS.
Organization edit
During the debate of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, some called for FEMA to remain as an independent agency. Later, following the failed response to Hurricane Katrina, critics called for FEMA to be removed from the Department of Homeland Security.[6] Today FEMA exists as a major agency of the Department of Homeland Security. The Administrator for Federal Emergency Management reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. In March 2003, FEMA joined 22 other federal agencies, programs and offices in becoming the Department of Homeland Security. The new department, headed by Secretary Tom Ridge, brought a coordinated approach to national security from emergencies and disasters - both natural and man-made.
Regions edit
Pre-disaster mitigation programs edit
FEMA's Mitigation Directorate[7] is responsible for programs that take action before a disaster, in order to identify risks and reduce injuries, loss of property, and recovery time.[8] The agency has major analysis programs for floods, hurricanes, dams, and earthquakes.[8][9]
Taking Shelter From the Storm edit
The safe room construction plans and specifications from FEMA P-320, Taking Shelter From the Storm, are available in pdf and dwg format.[10]
Response capabilities edit
FEMA's emergency response is based on small, decentralized teams trained in such areas as the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), Disaster Mortuary Operations Response Team (DMORT), Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), and Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS).
National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) edit
The NDMS was transferred from the Department of Homeland Security to the Department of Health and Human Services, under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, signed by President George W. Bush, on December 18, 2006.
Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) provide medical care at disasters and are typically made up of doctors and paramedics. There are also National Nursing Response Teams (NNRT), National Pharmacy Response Teams (NPRT) and Veterinary Medical Assistance Teams (VMAT). Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Teams (DMORT) provide mortuary and forensic services. National Medical Response Teams (NMRT) are equipped to decontaminate victims of chemical and biological agents.
Training edit
The Training and Education Division within FEMA's National Integration Center directly funds training for responders and provides guidance on training-related expenditures under FEMA's grant programs. Catalog available at TED Course Catalog[dead link]. Information on designing effective training for first responders is available from the Training and Education Division at First Responder Training. Emergency managers and other interested members of the public can take independent study courses for certification at FEMA's online Emergency Management Institute.
Emergency Management Institute training and certifications edit
EMI offers credentials and training opportunities for United States Citizens. Note that students do not have to be employed by FEMA or be a federal employee for some of the programs.[11]
FEMA Corps edit
FEMA Corps, who range in age from 18–24 years old, is a cadre dedicated to disaster response and recovery. It is a new partnership between The Corporation for National and Community Service's AmeriCorps NCCC and FEMA.[12] The Corps, described as a "dedicated, trained, and reliable disaster workforce" works full-time for ten months on federal disaster response and recovery efforts. Over 150 members of the inaugural FEMA Corps class graduated in June, 2013, at the AmeriCorps NCCC campus in Vicksburg, MS. The Corps work on teams of 8 to 12 people, and follow the traditional NCCC model of living together and traveling together. In addition to working with FEMA, corps members must perform AmeriCorps responsibilities such as Physical Training three times a week, National Days of Service, and Individual Service Projects in communities throughout The United States. The Corps receives $4.75 a day for food, and a living stipend of approximately $4,000 over ten months. An education award is distributed to corps members who successfully serve 10 months of service, completing 1,700 total hours.[13]
Donations management edit
FEMA has led a Public-Private Partnership in creating a National Donations Management Program making it easier for corporations or individuals not previously engaged to make offers of free assistance to States and the Federal Government in times of disaster. The program is a partnership among FEMA, relief agencies, corporations/corporate associations and participating state governments. The technical backbone of the program is an online technology solution called The Aidmatrix Network which is managed by the independent nonprofit organization, Aidmatrix.
Criticism edit
Hurricane Katrina – 2005 edit
FEMA received intense criticism for its response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster in August 2005. FEMA had pre-positioned response personnel in the Gulf Coast region. However, many could not render direct assistance and were only able to report on the dire situation along the Gulf Coast, especially from New Orleans. Within three days, a large contingent of National Guard and active duty troops were deployed to the region.
According to the U.S. House of Representatives Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina:[14]
- "The Secretary Department of Homeland Security should have designated the Principal Federal Official on Saturday, two days prior to landfall, from the roster of PFOs who had successfully completed the required training, unlike then FEMA Director Michael Brown. Considerable confusion was caused by the Secretary's PFO decisions."
- "DHS and FEMA lacked adequate trained and experienced staff for the Katrina response."
- "Before Katrina, FEMA suffered from a lack of sufficiently trained procurement professionals."
Other failings were also noted. The Committee devoted an entire section of the report to listing the actions of FEMA.[15] Their conclusion was:
For years emergency management professionals have been warning that FEMA's preparedness has eroded. Many believe this erosion is a result of the separation of the preparedness function from FEMA, the drain of long-term professional staff along with their institutional knowledge and expertise, and the inadequate readiness of FEMA's national emergency response teams. The combination of these staffing, training, and organizational structures made FEMA's inadequate performance in the face of a disaster the size of Katrina all but inevitable.[15]
California wildfires – 2007 edit
FEMA came under intense criticism when it was revealed that a press conference on the October 2007 California wildfires was staged. Deputy Administrator Harvey E. Johnson was answering questions from FEMA employees who were posing as reporters. Many of these questions were "soft ball" questions (i.e., "Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?"), intentionally asked in a way that would evoke a positive response giving the impression that FEMA was doing everything right. In this way, any scrutiny from real reporters (many of whom were only given a 15-minute notice) would have been avoided. Fox News, MSNBC, and other media outlets aired the staged press briefing live.[16]
List of FEMA heads edit
As director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness
| Agency Director | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| James S. Hafer | May-1975 | Apr-1979 |
As director of FEMA (cabinet-level between 1996–2001)[17][18]
| Agency Director | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| James Lee Witt | Apr-1993 | Jan-2001 |
| John Magaw (acting) | Jan-2001 | Feb-2001 |
| Joe M. Allbaugh | Feb-2001 | Mar-2003 |
On March 4, 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Florida's state emergency management director, W. Craig Fugate, to lead FEMA.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ "Grema Terab: NEMA is Acting Like Donor Agency". This Day Live. April 4, 2015.
- ^ "About FEMA". Federal Emergency Management Agency. October 20, 2011.
- ^ "FEMA's FY 2013 Budget Request". Federal Emergency Management Agency. April 13, 2013.
- ^ "Executive Order 12127--Federal Emergency Management Agency". Federation of American Scientists.
- ^ Woolley, Lynn (September 12, 2005). "FEMA - Disaster of an Agency". Retrieved December 12, 2007. See Federation of American Scientists reference above for effective date of April 1, 1979, stated in Executive Order 12127.
- ^ Serving America's Disaster Victims: FEMA Where Does it Fit? Homeland Security Policy Institute. January 13, 2009.
- ^ "Mitigation"[dead link]. Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- ^ a b "FEMA's Mitigation Directorate Fact Sheet". Federal Emergency Management Agency.
- ^ HAZUS[dead link] is a computer model for hurricane, earthquake, and flood damage estimates.
- ^ FEMA Taking Shelter From the Storm
- ^ EMI Program Info
- ^ Announcing the Creation of FEMA Corps. FEMA.gov (2012-06-16). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ Welcome to the FEMA Corps Inaugural Class | Homeland Security. Dhs.gov (2012-09-14). Retrieved on 2013-08-16.
- ^ "Executive Summary, Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina"[dead link]. February 15, 2006. U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved June 11, 2007.
- ^ a b "FEMA, Select Bipartisan Committee to Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina"[dead link]. February 15, 2006. U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved June 11, 2007.
- ^ "FEMA Stages Press Conference: Staff Pose As Journalists And Ask 'Softball' Questions"
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
rankwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
cqfemawas invoked but never defined (see the help page).
External links edit
