The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, was created to solve a dire need in America. Disasters, unfortunately, happen all the time, and we as a country need to be prepared to handle them and have a system in place to provide relief after the fact. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, a series of disasters struck the nation and those in charge realized that America was poorly suited to help. In 1964, the second most powerful earthquake ever recorded hit Alaska, killing 139 (Taylor). The Midwest was plagued with lethal tornados, the Pacific Northwest experienced record-breaking snowstorms, and hurricanes killed thousands along the Atlantic coast. Over 100 different federal agencies were involved in relief for these tragedies, but their efforts
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Many of FEMA’s resources were relocated and a major part of FEMA’s mission became focused on the prevention of terrorism after 9/11. In 2006, Bush signed the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act, which brought new life to FEMA (Wrede). Today, FEMA is more important than ever. This organization provides aid in the event of a large-scale catastrophe, whether it’s a natural disaster or a man-made one, like oils spills or nuclear reactor leakages. FEMA will provide temporary housing for those people in danger, it will provide medical assistance, and aid in the rebuilding and recovery process. FEMA can even help restore mobile communications with their fleet of MERS, or Mobile Emergency Response Support, vehicles (U.S. Department of Homeland Security). In recent years, FEMA has been on the site after tragedies like Hurricane Sandy and the Joplin, Missouri …show more content…
FEMA is an integral part of America’s society as it helps us not only to recover from disasters, but to prepare for them. FEMA is has released many disaster preparedness guides that inform citizens how they can prepare for several types of disasters. The agency is involved with projects to reinforce building foundations in areas susceptible to earthquakes. FEMA has worked to ensure affordable flood insurance for those who live in flood plains. Any well-organized government must have protocols in place to deal with natural disasters, and FEMA is an integral part of American society. In the event of a tragedy, American citizens know that they won’t be alone. Unfortunately, we will always have disasters. For the foreseeable future, however, FEMA will be there to help us prepare and recover.
Works Cited
Taylor, Alan. “1964: Alaska’s Good Friday Earthquake.” The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 30 May 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
“A Short History of FEMA.” Frontline, PBS, 22 Nov. 2005. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
United States. FEMA. “About the Agency.” 1 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Wrede, Phil. “Disaster Relief in America: a Brief History of FEMA.” University Libraries News. University of Colorado, Boulder, 6 Jun. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “MERS Fact Sheet.” Press Office. United States, FEMA, 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
DHS. FEMA. “The Disaster Process and Disaster
Many of FEMA’s resources were relocated and a major part of FEMA’s mission became focused on the prevention of terrorism after 9/11. In 2006, Bush signed the Post-Katrina Emergency Reform Act, which brought new life to FEMA (Wrede). Today, FEMA is more important than ever. This organization provides aid in the event of a large-scale catastrophe, whether it’s a natural disaster or a man-made one, like oils spills or nuclear reactor leakages. FEMA will provide temporary housing for those people in danger, it will provide medical assistance, and aid in the rebuilding and recovery process. FEMA can even help restore mobile communications with their fleet of MERS, or Mobile Emergency Response Support, vehicles (U.S. Department of Homeland Security). In recent years, FEMA has been on the site after tragedies like Hurricane Sandy and the Joplin, Missouri …show more content…
FEMA is an integral part of America’s society as it helps us not only to recover from disasters, but to prepare for them. FEMA is has released many disaster preparedness guides that inform citizens how they can prepare for several types of disasters. The agency is involved with projects to reinforce building foundations in areas susceptible to earthquakes. FEMA has worked to ensure affordable flood insurance for those who live in flood plains. Any well-organized government must have protocols in place to deal with natural disasters, and FEMA is an integral part of American society. In the event of a tragedy, American citizens know that they won’t be alone. Unfortunately, we will always have disasters. For the foreseeable future, however, FEMA will be there to help us prepare and recover.
Works Cited
Taylor, Alan. “1964: Alaska’s Good Friday Earthquake.” The Atlantic. The Atlantic Monthly Group, 30 May 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
“A Short History of FEMA.” Frontline, PBS, 22 Nov. 2005. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
United States. FEMA. “About the Agency.” 1 Apr. 2016. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
Wrede, Phil. “Disaster Relief in America: a Brief History of FEMA.” University Libraries News. University of Colorado, Boulder, 6 Jun. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “MERS Fact Sheet.” Press Office. United States, FEMA, 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2016.
DHS. FEMA. “The Disaster Process and Disaster