All about FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency that falls under the US Department of Homeland Security. FEMA was formed in 1979 by the Jimmy Carter administration with the main purpose of coordinating how to respond to major disasters within the US which could overwhelm the available resources found locally and at state level. This paper seeks to analyze the FEMA program from its time of inception to present.
Historical Background
The official creation of FEMA took place in 1979 through an executive order to provide leadership to federal emergency operations. Before that, federal emergency procedures were chaotic as they lacked a centralized direction and control. FEMA therefore emerged as a means to correct the messes experienced due to lack of proper organization in disaster management. Earlier on in the 1950s, the Congress had established a federal government role in management of emergencies to redefine and reorganize emergency management. The emergence of FEMA can therefore be seen as a major experimentation which involved the recasting of the federal role in emergency management and a new approach to fulfilling that role (May, 1985, p 40). Though FEMA was not created on experimental grounds, the historical trial and error models that have been used in regards to the management of emergencies at the federal level in deed makes the undertaking a true experiment (May, 1985).
Mission and organization
The creation of FEMA was meant to reinforce the federal leadership in managing emergencies with the primary goal of averting losses. Thus the organization of the agency is in such a way that it underscores the principle of shared responsibility in relation to emergency management amongst the federal, state and local governments. FEMA employs the shared governance approach in managing the emergencies. FEMA is usually involved in mitigating, preparedness, responding, and recovery aspects of disaster management. The states benefit from FEMA in various counts including training programs and investigative information on alleviation actions reviewing and coordinating the emergency plans of the states financial assistance and the provision of subsidies to states and local government emergency management offices in maintaining their programs. FEMA is also engaged in several coordination programs that are associated with emergency management programs at the local, state and federal level.
The Four phases of emergency management
There are four essential phases of emergency management which includes mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. These forms the pillars of disaster management program as administered by FEMA. In mitigation, activities that relate to prevention of the occurrence of an emergency andor reduction of the adversary impacts of a disaster are emphasized. Particular hazard mitigation plans are formed in case of the federal declaration of a disaster. The mitigation plans have to reflect the risk analysis and priorities of a particular disaster. Preparedness is to be found in the types of plans or procedural designs aimed at saving lives and minimizing damages during an emergency.
Preparedness incorporates forecasting, training and calamity drills. Such activities guarantee that whenever there is an emergency, those managing the emergency are in a position to respond appropriately. Calamities may strike due to man-made and natural hazards but the best protection lies in the knowledge on how to handle such disasters (Fisher, 2008).
Response involves the actions that are initiated in the course or after a disaster. Response is meant to prevent additional harm during a disaster or any emergency circumstances. Response can be described as putting the preparedness into action and includes fire-fighting, providing shelter to victims of a disaster, searching and rescuing mission among many other operations during a disaster. Last but not least is the recovery which is described as those activities that are meant to normalize the situation in the wake of a disaster. Recovery may include actions such as rebuilding, repairing and replacing what was lost during a disaster so as victims can continue with their lives in the normal way (Fisher, 2008).
Recent emergency actions by FEMA
From the time of inception, FEMA has continuously been expanded with more responsibilities being assigned to the agency. FEMA has therefore continued to be involved in various emergency management incidences due to the ever-expanding nature of its responsibilities. Following the Homeland Security Act of 2002, FEMA was incorporated in the Department of Homeland Security where it was thought to comfortably administer its procedures in disaster management. Following the Hurricane Katrina and Rita, FEMA got involved in the emergency management in the affected states. FEMA helped in the rebuilding of public infrastructural facilities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama which had been destroyed following the disasters. FEMA engaged in the funding of various projects to reconstruct the health facilities, schools, roads bridges among other public facilities to aid in the recovery of the region. These efforts were also meant to make sure that the region emerged much stronger in the face of any other adversary in future (U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityFederal Emergency Management Agency, 2010).
Conclusion
FEMA has been conferred with the noble objective of ensuring the safety of citizens particularly in times of disasters. Its main focus has been to deal with the challenges that are brought about by disasters and how to avoid these challenges. It therefore involves preparations for the emergencies prior to their occurrence responding to these disasters when they occur offering support and rebuilding the society in the aftermath of a disaster. FEMAs main objective is therefore to minimize the adversaries of disasters that may strike when least expected.
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