In 1997, FEMA started Project Impact, a plan to build disaster-resistant communities. However, the system has yet to be tested by an earthquake as large as the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake or an M 9 subduction-zone earthquake. So far, in the presidential declarations that have been issued in the past few years, this arrangement has worked reasonably well. The disaster declaration varies from one disaster to the next. In most cases, the governor of a state requests that the president declare a disaster area, unless the disaster affects mainly federal property, as was the case in the Oklahoma City bombing. The emergency response team deals with twelve support functions: transportation, communications, public works/engineering, firefighting, information and planning, mass care, resource support, health/medical services, urban search and rescue, hazardous materials, food, and energy. The disaster field office coordinates response from other federal agencies, the state emergency services agency, and the Red Cross. A coordinating officer is appointed, who sets up a disaster field office to manage the response and recovery, including rescue and small loans and grants to businesses or individuals. When the president declares an area struck by an earthquake to be a major disaster area, FEMA swings into action. The Federal Response Plan outlines the responsibilities, chain of command, and sequence of events for federal and local authorities to deal with the emergency. Public Law 93-288 established a Federal Response Plan to coordinate federal assistance in a large-scale disaster in which the resources of participating federal agencies would be necessary. In the Northwest, these activities are coordinated by the FEMA Region X office in Bothell, Washington in California, it is done by the Region IX office in Oakland.įEMA (and later NIST) played the lead role in preparing the federal government for national emergencies. Activities include education, outreach, adoption of building codes, and training exercises. FEMA has provided grants to state governments and to multi-state consortia to support hazard mitigation, including not only earthquakes but floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and other disasters. In its implementation role, FEMA contributes to developing standards in new construction and retrofits, and to applying engineering design knowledge to upgrading building codes.
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