FEMA Region IV

FEMA Region IV
Name	Region IV
Agency	Federal Emergency Management Agency
Formed	1979
Jurisdiction	Southeastern United States
Headquarters	Atlanta, Georgia
Chief1 name	(Regional Administrator)
Parent agency	Department of Homeland Security

FEMA Region IV

FEMA Region IV is the Southeastern regional office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The region coordinates disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation activities across a multi-state area that includes a mix of coastal, inland, and island jurisdictions affected by hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and technological incidents. Its mission intersects with federal, state, and local partners, supporting operations during events such as hurricanes, wildland-urban interface fires, and catastrophic infrastructure failures.

Overview

Region IV covers a geographic area encompassing the U.S. states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, plus commonwealth and territorial interfaces for certain maritime and aviation matters. The office implements policies from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, executes Presidential disaster declarations pursuant to the Stafford Act, and administers grant programs authorized by statutes such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. Region IV interacts with entities including the United States Northern Command, the United States Coast Guard Atlantic Area, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Highway Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency on incident-specific missions. The regional hub supports continuity objectives aligned with the National Response Framework, the National Incident Management System, and the Homeland Security Presidential Directives.

Member States and Jurisdictions

Region IV’s area of responsibility includes the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Within those states it works with state emergency management agencies such as the Alabama Emergency Management Agency, the Florida Division of Emergency Management, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, the North Carolina Emergency Management, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division, and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. The region cooperates with major municipal jurisdictions including Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Charlotte, Nashville, Jackson, and Birmingham. It also coordinates with port authorities like the Port of Savannah, the Port of Jacksonville, and the Port of Miami and with metropolitan planning organizations such as the MPOs in large urban areas.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

Region IV is led by a Regional Administrator appointed in accordance with Federal law and reports to the FEMA Administrator. The regional office comprises divisions for Response, Recovery, Mitigation, Preparedness, Finance, Logistics, and External Affairs, integrating specialists from the Civil Rights Office (DHS), the Office of Chief Counsel (DHS), the Federal Protective Service, and the United States Secret Service on protective missions. Region IV maintains Incident Management Assistance Teams (IMATs) drawn from personnel with backgrounds in the National Guard liaison positions, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the Small Business Administration disaster loan program. Leadership engages with elected officials including members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives from the region’s states, as well as governors’ offices such as the Office of the Governor of Florida and the Office of the Governor of Georgia.

Disaster Response and Major Operations

Region IV has led response operations for major events including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Matthew, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Florence, coordinating large-scale logistics, temporary sheltering, and individual assistance programs. The region has supported search and rescue missions involving the National Urban Search and Rescue Response System and coordinated debris removal with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration. Region IV has administered Public Assistance grants following incidents like the Tuscaloosa–Birmingham tornadoes and catastrophic flood events such as the 2016 Louisiana floods by implementing the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act procedures. In technological and hazardous-material incidents, it has partnered with the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation modal administrations, and in public-health emergencies with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health and Human Services.

Preparedness, Mitigation, and Programs

Region IV administers mitigation programs such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program, and the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, applying criteria from the National Flood Insurance Program. It implements training and exercise programs aligned with the National Exercise Program and hosts courses from the Emergency Management Institute and the Continuity of Operations (COOP) curriculum. The region manages grant allocations under the Homeland Security Grant Program and supports community resilience initiatives in collaboration with research institutions such as Georgia Tech, University of Florida, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and University of Georgia. It promotes mitigation pilot projects with organizations like the American Red Cross, United Way Worldwide, FEMA Corps, and the Institute for Business and Home Safety.

Interagency Coordination and Partnerships

Region IV coordinates with federal partners including the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency, and maintains stovepipe-crossing relationships with regional military commands such as U.S. Northern Command and components like the Air National Guard. It engages nonfederal partners such as the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, National Weather Service, and state-level Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) chapters. The region works with infrastructure stakeholders like Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern, and investor-owned utilities including Duke Energy and Southern Company on restoration planning. It also partners with philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on resilience projects and with standards bodies such as National Institute of Standards and Technology and professional associations like the International Association of Emergency Managers.

Category:Federal Emergency Management Agency