Emergency Management

Outline

1. This chapter focus in examining the federal government emergency management and the history pertaining the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from its conception to the 9/11 terrorist attack of 2001. It focuses on reviewing the major disaster the occurred while evaluating the importance of the presidents during emergency management and analyze how presidents have utilized their disaster declaration powers to facilitate federal emergency management.
2. Establishment and development of FEMA.
3. FEMA was established in 1979 out of President Jimmy Carter’s executive orders made.
4. FEMA has greatly developed as it has taken more responsibilities attributed to disaster while assimilating other agencies too.
5. Stages of emergency management addressed by FEMA. This phases include; preparedness, response, mitigation and recovery
6. Development of FEMA
7. Collaboration with other emergency management agencies and other concerned parties. FEMA has collaborated with other emergency management agencies such as Red Cross, local and also state emergency agencies and other voluntary institutions.
8. It has broadened its responsibilities to address the increasing variety of natural and human-induced disasters. For instance, it assumed the duty of defense preparedness against cold war and response to natural calamities such as earthquake, hurricane and floods.
9. Organizational and Political life of FEMA
10. The country’s emergency managers, firefighters, and public safety directors. They are very supportive to FEMA at all cost to enhance their activities.
11. City managers, county executives, governors and mayors. They actually foster and positively influence federal emergency management.
12. Big construction firms, economic development interested stakeholders and building trades helps FEMA during post disaster by offering subsidized reconstruction.
13. FEMA’s benefit from the executive, intergovernmental relations and policies
14. Intergovernmental collaboration response to disasters
15. The department of defense joins emergency agencies to offer assistance such as clearing and facilitating navigation in areas that are critically affected.
16. State, federal and national government overlapped obligation. This enhances emergency response activities as joint forces increase the efficiency of emergency management.
17. Policies
18. Zoning and building codes. These policies help to ensure that proper house structures are built properly and strong enough and in safe areas to overcome disasters.
19. Emergency management policies. These policies help to shape the emergency management strategies for FEMA.
20. The Executive
21. The president upholds and facilitates FEMA’s activities by authorizing various things and activities that are required.
22. How FEMA work with other agencies and how it benefits
23. FEMA works with other agencies through Performance Partnership Agreements or cooperative Agreements. These agreements enables FEMA to work effectively and benefited FEMA too by providing a way for raising funds for emergency management especially in critical situations.
24. FEMA also works with other emergency management agencies by establishing a memorandum of understanding with them, taking on voluntary services and active coordination and cooperation.
25. The United States presidents disaster declarations
26. Disaster declarations between 1953 and  1969
27. Presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Dwight Eisenhower averagely made approximately 1.3 major disaster declarations monthly.
28. Disaster declarations between 1989 and 2005
29. Presidents, Bill Clinton, George H. Bush, and George W. Bush made an average of approximately 3.9 average major disaster declarations monthly. Increase of the number of declarations seemed not to be in relation to the political party that the president belonged to.
30. Disaster declarations
31. Disaster Declarations on both  old and new disasters
32.  A 1979 declaration by President Cater as a major disaster. This disaster occurred in Love Canal near Niagara Falls in New York. FEMA took an active participation to manage the disaster.
33. The declaration by President Reagan to minimize chemical plant disaster. It resulted in creation of SARA Title III statute which contributed to the portfolio of FEMA with regards to emergency management.
34. President George W. Bush declaration for immigration emergency. This helped to avoid hazardous waste threats and spread of diseases.
35. Terrorism Declarations
36. The 1993 presidential disaster declaration of a terrorism incident that involved a truck-bomb attack at the World Trade Center. This was an incident that encouraged FEMA and the Federal Bureau of Investigation whose mandate was to apprehend the perpetrators.
37. The businesses and sciences attributed to disasters
38. Major technological developments. Development of high-speed computers with mass data storage, sophisticated software and usage of satellite imagery has impacted and facilitated FEMA’s emergency management activities.
39. Social sciences from fields such as economics, politics, sociology, geography, demography and urban planning have made great contribution to emergency response and management.
40. Private sector organizations participation in repairing and replacing public infrastructure in disaster recovery helps FEMA contain the disaster.
41. Provision of housing structures, counseling services, family services and short term healthcare by private firms. This facilitates FEMA’s emergency management activities.
42. The role of the president in emergency management
43. Governance. It entails formation of emergency management task force. The president has the responsibility of forming and mobilizing expert task force to address the emergency situation in place.
44. Oversee and give orders to the emergency activities that are necessary. The president gives the go ahead orders to emergency management experts to take so as to ensure effective disaster management.
45. Declaration of disasters. It is the responsibility of the president to make a state briefing declaring a disaster or any emergency situation to the people to warn them.
46. Implementation of emergency management programs. The president has the mandate of authorizing emergency management programs so as to address disasters.
47. Order and authorize for immediate allocation of funds to facilitate the emergency management activities. The president orders the finance secretary during emergencies to release funds to facilitate activities put in place to address those emergencies.
48. Major disasters
49. Earthquakes.
50. They often temporarily overcome the state’s government emergency response and management.
51. It sometimes incurs a high number of deaths and significant property damages. Addressing earthquake threats and damages is addressed in the federal law.
52. The 1994 Northridge earthquake which was the most destructive earthquake. Was the most expensive disaster till the 9/11 attack as per FEMA.
53. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake which caused five-mile damage from its epicenter.
54. Hurricanes
55. Hurricanes are the most common disasters in America. They are accompanied with severe property damage and several deaths.
56. The 1989 Hurricane Hugo that swept the eastern part of the United States and the Caribbean. This hurricane killed many people, destroyed property and rendered many people homeless.
57. The 1992 Hurricane Andrew which occurred two year after Hurricane Hugo ripping Florida’s Atlantic coast and the Caribbean. This hurricane resulted in $26.5 billion destruction in the United States
58. Hurricane Floyd which occurred in 1999. This hurricane affected the states in the north and mid-Atlantic. It caused the worst flooding in history that costed $100 million in disaster aid.
59. Floods
60. The 1993 Great Midwest Floods that affected Lowa, Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. The rivers overflowed and dams busted. The damage caused was about %15 billion and 48 people died while several people were rescued and evacuated.
61. Emergency response and management professionalization
62. Emergency management is now considered as a profession and has advanced significantly in terms of knowledge and experience.
63. The capacity to document disaster damages have been facilitated through automated damage measurements.