Highlights
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the government's disaster relief agency, charged primarily with responding to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and acts of terrorism. Based in Washington, D.C., with offices around the country, FEMA has more than 2,600 full-time employees with another 4,000 on standby to respond to disasters.
FEMA was created in 1979, combining several agencies with disaster-related responsibilities. It operated as an independent agency until 2003, when it became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA provides grants to communities for disaster protection measures. After a disaster strikes,...
FEMA was created in 1979, combining several agencies with disaster-related responsibilities. It operated as an independent agency until 2003, when it became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA provides grants to communities for disaster protection measures. After a disaster strikes,...
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the government's disaster relief agency, charged primarily with responding to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and acts of terrorism. Based in Washington, D.C., with offices around the country, FEMA has more than 2,600 full-time employees with another 4,000 on standby to respond to disasters.
FEMA was created in 1979, combining several agencies with disaster-related responsibilities. It operated as an independent agency until 2003, when it became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA provides grants to communities for disaster protection measures. After a disaster strikes, FEMA provides financial assistance and supplies for recovery and rebuilding. Under its public assistance program, FEMA reimburses local and state governments for expenses including overtime for emergency personnel, debris removal and repairs to public utilities. Individual homeowners and renters are also eligible for assistance for uninsured losses. FEMA came under criticism in 2004 in Florida, which was hit by four hurricanes in six weeks. A South Florida Sun-Sentinel investigation found FEMA awarded more than $31 million to residents of Miami-Dade for a hurricane that missed the county. FEMA even paid funeral expenses for deaths unrelated to the storm.
The Sun-Sentinel investigation found the same patterns in disasters across the country with hundreds of millions of dollars intended for disaster victims going to people who suffered no damage. When the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf coast in 2005, FEMA drew widespread criticism for its slow response and massive fraud and waste. In the aftermath of the storm, government investigators found FEMA paid more than $1 billion in fraudulent claims. FEMA's top administrator is R. David Paulison. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. In addition to directing the agency, the Administrator may also be called upon by the President to serve as a member of the Cabinet in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters.
Their offices are located at 500 C Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20472. Questions can be directed to www.fema.gov or call 800-621-FEMA (3362).
FEMA was created in 1979, combining several agencies with disaster-related responsibilities. It operated as an independent agency until 2003, when it became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMA provides grants to communities for disaster protection measures. After a disaster strikes, FEMA provides financial assistance and supplies for recovery and rebuilding. Under its public assistance program, FEMA reimburses local and state governments for expenses including overtime for emergency personnel, debris removal and repairs to public utilities. Individual homeowners and renters are also eligible for assistance for uninsured losses. FEMA came under criticism in 2004 in Florida, which was hit by four hurricanes in six weeks. A South Florida Sun-Sentinel investigation found FEMA awarded more than $31 million to residents of Miami-Dade for a hurricane that missed the county. FEMA even paid funeral expenses for deaths unrelated to the storm.
The Sun-Sentinel investigation found the same patterns in disasters across the country with hundreds of millions of dollars intended for disaster victims going to people who suffered no damage. When the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf coast in 2005, FEMA drew widespread criticism for its slow response and massive fraud and waste. In the aftermath of the storm, government investigators found FEMA paid more than $1 billion in fraudulent claims. FEMA's top administrator is R. David Paulison. He was appointed by President George W. Bush and reports directly to the Secretary of Homeland Security. In addition to directing the agency, the Administrator may also be called upon by the President to serve as a member of the Cabinet in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters.
Their offices are located at 500 C Street S.W., Washington, D.C. 20472. Questions can be directed to www.fema.gov or call 800-621-FEMA (3362).
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More homes added on new Howard County flood maps
County officials are urging residents to purchase insurance policies if their homes have recently been added to newly redrawn flood insurance rate maps. The Federal Emergency Management Agency worked with Maryland's Department of the Environment to...Tags: Howard County, Insurance
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Baltimore, other cities battle federal security funding plan
Local homeland security officials in Baltimore and across the country are fighting a proposal to change how $2 billion in federal emergency management money is distributed — a change they say would jeopardize regional efforts to respond to terrorist...Tags: Tampa, Amtrak, September 11, 2001 Attacks, George Bush, National Security
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Bel Air commissioners approve mid-year budget
Bel Air's town commissioners approved the mid-year budget for fiscal year 2012 at their meeting Monday evening. Finance Director Lisa Moody presented the mid-year budget adjustments, which included an increase of $1.5 million, although $1.3 million of...Tags: Energy Saving, Ethics, William Kelly, Values, Lisa Moody
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Floods are common and devastating, but we can be prepared
On behalf of FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), I'm writing in response to your March 14 opinion piece, "Warming: Storm damage ahead" to add insight about flood risk and the NFIP. Your editorial addresses how climate change will add to the...Tags: Natural Disasters, Insurance, Floods
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Aberdeen council members slam former candidate, water critics, local media, complaining constituents
Several Aberdeen council members have been blasting former mayoral candidate Patrick McGrady and "myths" about the city they say are being perpetuated through local media. They launched a verbal barrage against the naysayers during Monday's city council...
Tags: Amtrak, Aberdeen, Mike Bennett, Nottingham, Lobbying
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Peach Bottom exercise under way to test ability of Harford to respond to emergency at nuke plant
If an emergency were to strike at the Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, Harford County would be ready to go, Emergency Operations deputy manager Rick Ayers said Tuesday. The Emergency Operations Center in Hickory was the focus of a drill, the likes of...
Tags: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Power, Physical Fitness and Exercise, Emergency Incidents, Defense Equipment
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Peach Bottom exercise goes off without a hitch
Harford County's emergency responders got a perfect report card for their response to a hypothetical disaster at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station. They were recovering from a major exercise, set every two years, on how they handle a nuclear emergency...Tags: Nuclear Power, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Physical Fitness and Exercise, York County (Pennsylvania)
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Baltimore Police hire former Montgomery County official to oversee training
The Baltimore Police Department has reached outside its ranks to fill a top command position, hiring a former top official from Montgomery County to lead training efforts.
John A. King, the former police chief in Gaithersburg and a former assistant chief...Tags: University of Baltimore, FBI, Advanced Training, Gaithersburg (Montgomery, Maryland), Police Investigations
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Federal funding for regional disaster preparedness in doubt
If a tanker truck full of dangerous chemicals flipped on Interstate 695 in Baltimore County, a locally based, highly trained and well-equipped hazardous materials unit would be able to respond in a flash. When the H1N1 flu virus posed serious threats...Tags: Flu, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Annapolis, Conservation, Baltimore County
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Funding for regional disaster operations on chopping block
When Howard County decided it wanted a system for disseminating emergency information to its citizens via text message, it tapped into a pool of federal funding to create NotifyMeHoward, which launched in November. When the H1N1 flu virus posed serious...Tags: Howard County, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Flu, Annapolis, Conservation
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State police stop talking in code
Cops are starting to talk like the rest of us.
The Maryland State Police became the latest law enforcement agency to throw out its cryptic language, directing officers this week to stop telling each other "10-4" and instead just say "OK."
It's a...Tags: Howard County, Transportation Accidents, Johns Hopkins University, Slang, Crime (genre)
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Funds for regional disaster preparedness facing cuts
If a large-scale terror attack were to occur in the Port of Baltimore, responders from Carroll and other counties would be able to coordinate assistance efforts with city responders — thanks in large part to the region's Central Maryland Area...Tags: Flu, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Conservation, Swine Flu, Viral Diseases and Infections
May 21, 2012
|Story| Baltimore Sun
May 11, 2012
|Story| Baltimore Sun
Mar 6, 2012
|Story| Patuxent Homestead
Mar 28, 2012
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Mar 28, 2012
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Mar 27, 2012
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Mar 29, 2012
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Dec 16, 2011
|Story| Baltimore Sun
Feb 9, 2012
|Story| Patuxent Homestead
Feb 7, 2012
|Story| Patuxent Homestead
Feb 3, 2012
|Story| Baltimore Sun
Feb 12, 2012
|Story| Patuxent Homestead
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