Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
source
Name	Federal Emergency Management Agency
Native name	FEMA
Formed	1979
Preceding1	Federal Insurance Administration
Preceding2	Federal Disaster Assistance Administration
Jurisdiction	United States
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Chief1 name	Deanne Criswell
Chief1 position	Administrator
Parent department	Department of Homeland Security

Contents

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States responsible for coordinating response to disasters that overwhelm local state and local capabilities, established during the administration of Jimmy Carter and later integrated into the Department of Homeland Security under the administration of George W. Bush. Its mandate intersects with statutes such as the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, executive orders from the President of the United States, and interagency frameworks involving entities like the Federal Communications Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Defense, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

History and Establishment

FEMA was created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and codified under Executive Order 12127 during Jimmy Carter's presidency, consolidating agencies such as the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration. The agency's early evolution occurred amid events like the Hurricane Camille aftermath and was shaped by legal frameworks including the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act and lessons from responses to disasters such as Hurricane Andrew and the 1993 Midwest floods. FEMA's role was transformed by incorporation into the Department of Homeland Security in 2003 following the September 11 attacks, prompting organizational changes influenced by reports from commissions including the 9/11 Commission and oversight by congressional committees such as the United States House Committee on Homeland Security and the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

FEMA's leadership is headed by an Administrator nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, with deputies and regional administrators overseeing ten FEMA regions aligned with federal regional structures used by agencies like the Region I through Region X. The agency comprises directorates and offices such as the Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, National Flood Insurance Program, the Incident Management Assistance Teams, and the FEMA National Advisory Council, coordinating with partners including the American Red Cross, FEMA Corps, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and state-level counterparts like the California Office of Emergency Services.

FEMA's responsibilities include preparedness, response, recovery, mitigation, and grant administration under statutes such as the Stafford Act and programs like the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The agency coordinates logistics and resource allocation during events like Hurricane Katrina, Superstorm Sandy, and the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, working alongside the Department of Health and Human Services, National Flood Insurance Program, Federal Transit Administration, and Federal Aviation Administration when infrastructure, public health, or transportation systems are affected. FEMA administers grants such as the Emergency Management Performance Grant, Homeland Security Grant Program, and supports continuity planning referenced in guidance from the Federal Continuity Directive.

FEMA operates response mechanisms including the National Response Framework, Incident Command System, and deployable resources such as Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces, Disaster Medical Assistance Teams, and the National Response Coordination Center. Recovery programs involve the Individual Assistance Program, Public Assistance Program, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and federal insurance administered through the National Flood Insurance Program, each interacting with insurers like Write Your Own companies, state insurance regulators, and disaster case management partners including Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster and The Salvation Army. FEMA also maintains partnerships with academic institutions such as FEMA Higher Education Program participants and research organizations like the National Academy of Sciences.

FEMA's funding is appropriated by the United States Congress through regular and emergency supplemental appropriations, administered via accounts including the Disaster Relief Fund and program-specific lines for the National Flood Insurance Program, Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, and grant programs overseen by committees such as the United States House Committee on Appropriations and the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. Major supplemental funding has been enacted after events like Hurricane Katrina, the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season including Hurricane Maria, and the COVID-19 pandemic, with oversight from entities such as the Government Accountability Office, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Congressional Budget Office.

FEMA has faced criticism and controversy over responses to crises including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, and aspects of COVID-19 relief, drawing scrutiny from the Government Accountability Office, congressional investigations by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, and media outlets like The New York Times and The Washington Post. Issues cited include delays in recovery, management of the National Flood Insurance Program, disputes with state officials such as governors including Rudy Giuliani (note: as mayor during 9/11) and Andrew Cuomo over coordination, and legal challenges in courts including the United States Court of Appeals. Reforms have been recommended by experts from the Katzman Report-style analyses, advisory panels, and commissions including the National Commission on Children and Disasters and proposals from think tanks like the Brookings Institution and Heritage Foundation.