Adrienne Houghton: Hi, I’m Adrienne Houghton, and my family was personally affected by the recent hurricane in Puerto Rico. Natural disasters are absolutely devastating, and the victims desperately need government funding. But the benefits are not always automatic. So if you ever think you need...
Rather than dismantling FEMA, we need to reimagine it as an elite federal agency capable of managing the increasingly complex and severe disasters of a polycrisis age. The president is right that the massive flow of federal disaster funds to states can be counterproductive and even corrosive. Th...
The audit released Tuesday by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security examined a program that spent about $642 million to provide emergency lodging for nearly 227,000 victims of hurricanes in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Florida and Texas and wildfires...
“FEMA’s goal remains protecting and strengthening the integrity, effectiveness, and security of our disaster programs that help people before, during, and after disasters,” FEMA Press Secretary Lizzy Litzow said in a statement. Some information, like names, last four digits of a Social Security...
These problems are not unique to Puerto Rico and have been frequently raised by numerous communities in the United States that have endured disasters. This article contributes to the critical task of revealing postdisaster damages and reconstruction trends through a detailed examination of housing and ...
“FEMA’s goal remains protecting and strengthening the integrity, effectiveness, and security of our disaster programs that help people before, during, and after disasters,” FEMA Press Secretary Lizzie Litzow said in a statement. Some information, like names, last four digits of a Social Security...
storms, Gaynor said. That includes keeping more supplies in places such as Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska, which can be harder to reach in emergencies. Congress has also given the agency the ability to spend more money preparing communities for disasters, which is cheaper than rebuilding ...
the case of unusual or catastrophic disasters; for example, the COVID-19 pandemic or Hurricane María recovery in Puerto Rico. Congressional Research Service 9 FEMA’s Public Assistance Program: A Primer and Considerations for Congress Figure 4. FEMA’s PA Program Eligibility Pyramid Source: ...
Consider the costs associated with disasters such as insurance deductibles and evacuation costs, and plan for those costs. Anticipate initial out-of-pocket disaster expenses for lodging, food, gas and more. Check your insurance coverage. Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, contact your agent to...
“FEMA’s ability to provide support in disasters builds on, and is subject to, the capacity of the state, territorial, tribal and local governments,” he added. “There were real challenges in Puerto Rico that had to be overcome — including aging infrastructure, a decayed power grid and ...