fema patch
Photo courtesy FEMA
FEMA has been a federal disaster relief agency since 1979.  See more FEMA pictures.

 


 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been around since 1979. Although much of FEMA's recent press has been negative, the agency has been a powerful force in helping Americans prepare for, deal with, and recover from some of the worst disasters in history. From hurricanes and earthquakes to nuclear power plant meltdowns and toxic contamination, FEMA has been there to assist people in uncertain situations.

In this article, we'll find out what FEMA does, how it operates and how it has changed. We'll also review FEMA's response to Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.


U.S. Emergency Management Authority

Since the publishing of this article, the United States Senate has voted to overhaul U.S. emergency management.

In a vote of 87-11, the Senate wishes to eliminate FEMA and create a new emergency management agency to be named the "U.S. Emergency Management Authority."

The new agency will operate independently within the Department of Homeland Security. With the change will come two important increases: more personnel and more authority. And possibly even more important -- during times of crisis, the agency will be granted a direct line to the president.