Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a United States government agency that helps communities prepare for and recover from natural and human-made disasters. FEMA seeks to minimize the loss of life and property due to such events as earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, hazardous spills, nuclear explosions, and terrorist acts.
In the case of a severely destructive event, the president may declare a location to be a federal disaster area. At that point, FEMA provides funding for such needs as temporary housing and home repairs. It also offers assistance for the repairs of roads, buildings, and utilities. In addition, FEMA works to distribute information, lend support, and offer training so that communities may be prepared for future disasters.
President Jimmy Carter established FEMA in 1979 as an independent agency of the federal government. During the 1980’s, a period of great tension between the United States and the Soviet Union, the organization devoted most of its effort to readiness for nuclear attack. Its chief responsibility at this time was the preparation of emergency shelters for political and military leaders in the case of nuclear war. During the 1990’s, FEMA’s focus shifted toward hurricanes, earthquakes, and other disasters. In the early 2000’s, readiness for terrorist attacks became a top priority. In 2003, FEMA became part of the newly created Department of Homeland Security.
In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina, one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history, struck New Orleans and other parts of the Gulf Coast. About 1,800 people died, and numerous others were left without food, water, shelter, and other basic needs. In the following months, many people charged that the federal government, and FEMA in particular, acted slowly in providing aid to the areas hit by the storm. In April 2006, a Senate panel recommended that FEMA be abolished and replaced with a new agency that would prepare for and respond to emergencies. In October, President George W. Bush signed legislation that called for reorganizing FEMA. The reorganization was intended to help the agency more effectively respond to major disasters.
See also Civil defense .
