Federal Emergency Management Agency

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. It was created by President Jimmy Carter in 1978 and began operating in 1979. FEMA helps manage big disasters in the United States when local and state governments need extra help.

When a disaster happens, like a big storm or earthquake, the governor of the state can ask the president to let FEMA help. FEMA then works with the federal government to support recovery efforts. This includes giving money for rebuilding, providing experts to help, and offering low-interest loans to people who need to fix their homes.

FEMA also helps train people who might respond to disasters and supports housing for people who need to move during emergencies. It plays an important role in keeping communities safe when faced with big challenges.

History

Federal emergency management in the U.S. has existed in some form for over 200 years.

Prior to 1930s

Early in the 1800s, big fires damaged the port city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In 1803, the 7th U.S. Congress passed a law to help Portsmouth merchants by giving them more time to pay taxes on goods they brought into the country. This was the first time the federal government helped people after a disaster.

From 1803 to 1930, Congress passed many laws to help after disasters. These laws sometimes canceled taxes to help people after big fires or other problems.

Piecemeal approach (1930s–1960s)

After the Great Depression began in 1929, President Herbert Hoover created an agency called the Reconstruction Finance Corporation in 1932. This agency lent money to banks to help the economy. It also gave money after disasters.

Other agencies also helped after disasters. For example, the Bureau of Public Roads helped rebuild roads after disasters starting in 1934. The Flood Control Act of 1944 gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the job of controlling floods and helping after flooding disasters.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (1973–1979)

In 1973, disaster help was put under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A new part of HUD called the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration was created to manage disaster help.

Before 1979, many different agencies were involved in helping after disasters, sometimes more than 100 agencies.

FEMA as an independent agency (1979–2003)

FEMA was created in 1978 and started working on April 1, 1979, under President Jimmy Carter. It took over many jobs from other agencies, like helping after disasters and managing civil defense.

FEMA helped after big events like the toxic waste problem in Love Canal, New York, and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. These events showed FEMA could work but also had some problems.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed James Lee Witt as FEMA Director. Witt made changes to improve how FEMA helped after disasters. After the Cold War ended, FEMA focused more on preparing for natural disasters instead of civil defense.

FEMA under Department of Homeland Security (2003–present)

After the attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress created the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to better organize different federal agencies. FEMA became part of DHS in 2003.

After problems during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, new laws were passed to help FEMA work better. These laws made FEMA more independent inside DHS and added new teams to help during big disasters.

FEMA also started the Ready Campaign to teach people how to prepare for emergencies. The campaign asks people to build an emergency supply kit, make a family emergency plan, and learn about different types of emergencies.

FEMA was also put in charge of getting medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organization

Since March 2003, FEMA has been part of the Department of Homeland Security. Some people argued that FEMA should stay independent, especially after the response to Hurricane Katrina. However, laws later confirmed FEMA's role within the department.

FEMA has a main office led by an administrator, ten regional offices across the United States, and several important offices including one for helping communities recover after disasters and another for supporting fire services. It also manages programs that help states and local areas prepare for and recover from emergencies, providing billions of dollars in funding each year.

• Regional map
  • Region 1, Boston, MA – Serving CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT
  • Region 2, New York, NY Serving NJ, NY, PR, USVI
  • Region 3, Philadelphia, PA Serving DC, DE, MD, PA, VA, WV
  • Region 4, Atlanta, GA Serving AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
  • Region 5, Chicago, IL Serving IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI
  • Region 6, Denton, TX Serving AR, LA, NM, OK, TX
  • Region 7, Kansas City, MO Serving IA, KS, MO, NE
  • Region 8, Denver, CO Serving CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY
  • Region 9, Oakland, CA Serving AZ, CA, HI, NV, GU, AS, CNMI, RMI, FM
  • Region 10, Bothell, WA Serving AK, ID, OR, WA

FEMA has many teams with different skills to help before, during, and after disasters, such as communications, training, legal help, and more.

Pre-disaster mitigation programs

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) works on programs that help prevent damage before disasters happen. These programs look at risks from floods, hurricanes, tropical storms, dams, and earthquakes to keep people safe.

FEMA helps pay for rebuilding after a disaster so that future disasters will cause less damage. It also makes sure homeowners in flood areas can get affordable flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program and stops building in places that often flood. Pre-Disaster Mitigation grants help buy land to turn it into open space, improve old buildings, build shelters for tornado and storm safety, manage plants to stop erosion and fires, and start small projects to control flooding.

Response capabilities

FEMA’s emergency response relies on small, specialized teams trained in areas like the National Disaster Medical System and Urban Search and Rescue. These teams help in medical care, rescue operations, and communication during disasters.

The National Response Coordination Center at FEMA headquarters helps manage big disasters by organizing support and resources. For example, it helped during the 2013 Colorado floods. There are also teams that give medical help at disasters, rescue people from collapsed buildings, and provide communication support. In 2018, FEMA tested a national wireless emergency system that sent alerts to many electronic devices. FEMA also offers training classes to prepare people for emergencies, including free online courses.

FEMA Corps

FEMA Corps is a group of people aged 18 to 26 who help with disasters. They work with FEMA and AmeriCorps for 10 months, helping with disaster response, recovery, and preparing for future disasters.

Members of FEMA Corps live and travel together in teams of 6 to 10 people. They also do other community service activities, like exercises and special projects. They receive money for food and living expenses while they work.

Donations management

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has created a program to help manage donations during disasters. This program makes it easier for companies or individuals to offer free help to states and the government when disasters happen. The program works with FEMA, relief groups, companies, and state governments to organize this support.

Criticisms

See also: Criticism of the United States government § Criticism of agencies

Hurricane Andrew

See also: Hurricane Andrew

In August 1992, Hurricane Andrew struck the Florida and Louisiana coasts with very strong winds. FEMA was criticized for how it responded to the storm. Many people said FEMA did not act fast enough to help the about 250,000 people left homeless in the areas affected. Within five days, the government and nearby states sent 20,000 National Guard and army troops to help set up temporary homes. This event was reviewed by a report in 1993 that found problems in how FEMA was organized and prepared.

FEMA had also been criticized for its response to Hurricane Hugo, which hit South Carolina in 1989, and many of the same problems happened again during the response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

After Hurricane Katrina, FEMA was restructured within a larger government department, and then made its own again in 2007.

Southern Florida hurricanes

The newspaper in South Florida kept records of many complaints about FEMA during four hurricanes that hit the area in 2004. Some complaints included:

• When Hurricane Frances hit South Florida, FEMA approved money for many people in Miami-Dade County for things like new furniture and clothes, even though the storm did not hit that area hard. A government committee found FEMA made mistakes in deciding which areas needed help.
• FEMA paid for funerals of people who did not die because of the 2004 hurricanes.

Changes were made in 2019 to how flood insurance works, especially in places like Florida that face big risks from storms and rising sea levels.

Hurricane Katrina

See also: Criticism of the government response to Hurricane Katrina

FEMA faced a lot of criticism for its response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Although FEMA had teams ready in the area, they could not help right away and only reported on the serious situation, especially in New Orleans. Many people needed to leave the city, but there were not enough helpers to assist them. Flood waters made it hard to move around, and communication between different government levels was poor.

The leader of FEMA at the time was criticized for not acting quickly and for not understanding the seriousness of the situation. He was later removed from his position and resigned.

A report by the U.S. House of Representatives listed several problems, including not having enough trained staff, poor readiness of emergency teams, and trouble providing shelter and supplies.

After the storm, many people were still without permanent homes months later, living in temporary shelters or trailers set up by FEMA.

Buffalo snowstorm

FEMA was criticized for its response to a big snowstorm in Buffalo, New York in October 2006. FEMA said the governor of New York did not ask for help right away. Some people said FEMA did not arrive until three days after the storm, when there was damage to power lines, trees, and buildings.

Dumas, Arkansas, tornadoes

People in Dumas, Arkansas were unhappy with FEMA's response after tornadoes hit on February 24, 2007. They said FEMA did not send enough new trailers and sent used ones instead.

California wildfires

See also: 2007 California wildfires

FEMA was criticized when it was found that a news conference about the October 2007 California wildfires was faked. A FEMA leader answered questions from FEMA workers pretending to be reporters, asking easy questions to show FEMA was doing well. Real reporters were not given much notice and could only listen in.

Hurricane Maria

See also: Hurricane Maria

FEMA helped fund over 11,000 projects to repair buildings and infrastructure after Hurricane Maria in 2017, spending more than $33.9 billion. This included money to rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid.

When Hurricane Maria hit Dominica and Puerto Rico in 2017, it caused huge damage. FEMA had some supplies ready, but many people said the food they received was not healthy. The island lost power, and getting it back was very slow.

Some people said politics made it hard for FEMA to send help quickly. There were also problems with getting supplies to Puerto Rico because of how far it is from the mainland and because the airport was not working well.

Hurricane Harvey

See also: Hurricane Harvey

Hurricane Harvey hit in August 2017 and caused major flooding in southeast Texas and other areas. Some people had to wait a long time for help from FEMA, and some were denied aid.

Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19)

See also: COVID-19 pandemic in the United States

In 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, FEMA took medical supplies from states and hospitals without telling them how they could get their own supplies back. This caused problems between states and the federal government.

Hurricane Ian

See also: Hurricane Ian

Hurricanes Helene and Milton

See also: Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and Misinformation about the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season

July 2025 Central Texas floods

By July 2025, the number of people working at FEMA had been reduced, and training had stopped for many months. This might affect how well FEMA can help during disasters. There are also concerns that FEMA is not giving out money quickly enough to help local governments prepare for emergencies.

Federalism and FEMA

When disasters happen, states and local areas may need help. The President must agree, and the state’s leader must ask for help before federal aid can start. The federal government pays 75% of the costs to fix public buildings, with local areas paying the rest, unless the state offers extra money. FEMA helps organize aid but does not pay for buildings that were not kept up well or for making buildings better. FEMA also works with groups like the Small Business Administration and the Farmers Home Administration, but it does not give them money directly. Money for FEMA comes from sharing government money, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Transportation. Flood control districts can also get money to get ready for disasters.

Each state has its own disaster help group. If a disaster is too big for a state to handle, that group’s leader will tell the state’s leader whether to say there is a state of emergency. If the President agrees, the state can then get help from the federal government.

Saying there is a state of emergency does not always mean help will come. States also help each other through special agreements, like the Emergency Management Assistance Compact. These agreements let states, cities, and counties share resources to be ready for emergencies.

Local governments are the first to respond to disasters. Four things affect how well they can respond: how much money they have, how much they lose from taxes, if they can get money in other ways, and how much debt they owe. If a city still has most of its money and businesses are safe, it can keep making money. Cities with lots of saved money and good agreements with others can respond better. Cities with lots of debt may struggle to pay back loans. Main article: U.S. v. Parish of Jefferson et al.

List of FEMA heads

The following people have served as the head of FEMA:

Table notes:

Titles

• Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness within the General Services Administration (May 1975 – April 1, 1979)
• Director of Federal Emergency Management Agency as an independent agency (April 1, 1979 – April 15, 2003)
  • Elevated to Cabinet-level (February 26, 1996 – January 20, 2001)
• Director of Federal Emergency Management Agency and Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response within the Department of Homeland Security (April 15, 2003 – June 8, 2006)
• Director of Federal Emergency Management Agency and Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Federal Emergency Management within the Department of Homeland Security (June 8, 2006 – March 31, 2007)
• Administrator of Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Homeland Security (March 31, 2007 – present)