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New FEMA 2008 - Moving The Vision Forward

Building on the improvements of 2007 and lessons learned, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) moves into 2008 better positioned to help the American people prepare for, mitigate against, respond to and recover from a natural or man-made disaster.

FEMA built a strong foundation in 2007 for further improvements in 2008.
- In 2007, FEMA was reorganized to strengthen the agency and provide additional resources to support its mission. Administrator David Paulison, along with FEMA's leadership, built a New FEMA vision that focuses on FEMA's core competencies.
- In 2007, FEMA led the federal response to 63 major presidential disasters and 13 emergency declarations. In addition, FEMA issued 60 Fire Management Assistance Grants to assist communities lessen or avert catastrophe from wildfires.
- In 2008, FEMA will focus renewed resources on improved coordination with our partners in and out of government, including:
  - Expanded exercises, training programs and grants.
  - Stronger logistics management and disaster operations capabilities.
  - Improved disaster assistance programs.
- In 2008, the new National Response Framework was released, which is a culmination of the lessons learned & thousands of comments from our partners at every level. It represents a "National Endeavor" involving local, state, tribal and federal governments as well as the private and non-profit sectors.
FEMA is improving its ability to respond.
- Instead of waiting for the model of local/state failure before stepping in as it has in the past, FEMA is an engaged partner from the very beginning, finding out about expected shortfalls and keeping constant communication lines open.
- In 2007, FEMA was moving resources faster to those areas in need. It was sending staff out as state liaisons to ensure we had people on the ground working with the states. And, FEMA was coordinating federal and non-profit responses earlier than ever before.
FEMA is delivering effective recovery assistance.
- An entire town in Kansas essentially is being rebuilt following a deadly tornado.
  - FEMA was onsite within hours of the devastation with command and control mobile facilities and began providing temporary housing and direct aid to victims.
- Following additional tornadoes in the Southeast:
  - FEMA grants made possible a temporary facility to fill in for a destroyed high school and then to replace it permanently in Alabama;
  - Through a new construction concept, a destroyed Georgia hospital will be replaced in record time.
- FEMA spent more than $1.4 billion responding to disasters in 2007.
  - An estimated $241 million went to assist individuals and households with temporary housing, repairs and other needs.
  - Roughly $1.16 billion went to tribes, states and local government as well as eligible nonprofit organizations for disaster related activities.
  - Oklahoma led the nation in federal disaster declarations, with seven major disaster declarations and two emergency declarations, followed by Missouri with four major declarations and one emergency, Nebraska with four major declarations, and Kansas with three major declarations and one emergency.
Among major events that FEMA responded to in 2007 were:
- Winter Weather - Ice storms, snow and freezing conditions early and late in the year resulted in 21 emergency and major declarations to assist 12 states with debris removal, temporary power needs and other federal assistance.
- Floods - Flooding, landsides, mudslides and other calamities in many states required roughly $486 million in FEMA assistance and more than 43 presidential major and emergency disaster declarations.
- Tornadoes - Tornadoes wrought destruction across the nation's midsection and southern states, accompanied by severe storms and sometimes flooding, impacting communities and causing hardships for individuals in 14 states.
- Tropical Storms - FEMA displayed improved capabilities when it coordinated and prepared with its partners in response to Hurricane Dean and Tropical Storm Erin in anticipation of the needs of states and communities.
- Wildfires - In just one group of the many outbreaks of wildfires this year, a total of 23 fires burned from Oct. 20 to Nov. 9, 2007, scorching more than 517,000 aces and razed more than 2,233 homes in Southern California.
- Nor'easter - A mid-April Nor'easter brought severe storms and flooding to the New England states, New York and New Jersey, resulting in eight major disaster declarations and more than $168 million in federal assistance provided to individuals and communities.

FEMA is helping strengthen communities before disaster strikes.
- FEMA's Grant Programs Directorate awarded and provided oversight over more than $10.6 billion in grants through approximately 50 programs to tribal, state and local communities, and critical infrastructure systems.
- FEMA made a significant investment in mitigation and practices that make the nation safer, stronger and more disaster-resistant. FEMA's Mitigation Directorate has been successful in getting disaster-resistance included in the nation's building codes and standards, training more inspectors than ever, and supporting communities nationwide through technical assistance and grants.
- FEMA's Mitigation Disaster Support Team deployed approximately 540 hazard mitigation disaster assistance employees to assist victims with rebuilding safer, stronger and smarter.
- FEMA's four Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Programs awarded more than $1.4 billion to more than 1,900 projects and plans nationwide in 2007. These projects will eliminate or reduce future damages from natural hazards to almost 6,500 private and public structures and the plans will guide the future mitigation activities for almost 400 jurisdictions in the years to come.
- FEMA renewed its focus on building a culture of preparedness in America through its integration of the National Preparedness Directorate, an expanded Citizen Corps Program and coordinated activities with Ready.Gov and the Department of Homeland Security.

Training is an essential element of FEMA's preparedness mission.
- In October of 2007, the Top Officials 4 exercise (TOPOFF-4) tested capabilities and provided training that strengthenedthe nation's capacity to prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from large scale terrorist attacks. The TOPOFF exercise series is the cornerstone of FEMA's National Exercise Program.
- The Emergency Management Institute developed and facilitated training to strengthen FEMA core missions and continue to plan, prioritize and fund $6 million in training in support of disasters.
- The Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP) trained tens of thousands of state and local emergency responders through programs focused on advanced hands-on all-hazards training. CDP will continue preparing local, state, federal, international, and private sector first responders to deal with all-hazards and weapons of mass destruction threats.

FEMA is dedicated to reaching out to our partners and listening to new voices.
- FEMA established a National Advisory Council and Regional Advisory Councils of outside experts and brought on a Law Enforcement Advisor, a Disability Coordinator, and a Small State and Rural Advocate as part of its expanded leadership and commitment to hearing from different perspectives. These advocates join the chorus of trusted partners from tribal, state and local organizations who have worked with FEMA to strengthen the nation's ability to respond to and recover from disasters.
- FEMA International Affairs specialists worked across government and with the American Red Cross to develop a system for managing international commodity assistance during a domestic disaster. This new system will ensure that internationally procured and accepted donated commodities reach those affected by a disaster in an appropriate manner.

FEMA coordinates the federal government's role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.

Last Modified: Thursday, 04-Jun-2009 11:54:59 EDT