FEMA Community Service Agency

This article provides an overview of FEMA Community Service Agency, its role in coordinating disaster response in the United States, and its training programs. It also discusses the funding of FEMA and its partnership with the public and private sectors. Find study material and resources on FEMA.

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FEMA Community Service Agency
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FEMA Community Service Agency
Introduction
FEMA stand for the federal emergency management agency which is an organization
under the homeland security department in the United States that was founded. It is the third in
the presidential reorganization plan that was implemented in April in 1978 (Lindell, Perry,
Prater, & Nicholson, 2006). The primary purpose of the agency involves coordinating the
response to any disaster that occurs in the US that seems to overwhelm the state and local
authority resources. For instance, when the disaster happens in a state, its governor needs to
declare it a state of emergency, before placing a request that the president allow the federal
government through FEMA to respond to this disaster. However, in a case whereby the disaster
or the emergency affects the federal asset, or federal property, it is the only exception where the
gubernatorial declaration is required, for example, the return-flight disaster involving the
Columbia space shuttle in 2003 or the bombing of the federal building of Alfred Murrah in 1995,
never required any emergency declaration from the state (Lukkunaprasit, Thanasisathit, & Yeh,
2009).While it is FEMA’s provision in its charter to offer disaster recovery support on-the-
ground, the agency offers local and state governments with specialized experts in various fields
of emergency response. The help also involves relief funding for infrastructure or funding for
efforts of rebuilding. FEMA directs individuals on how to access loans in low interest similar to
small business administration. Additionally, the agency offers training funds to the response
personnel throughout the country and the surrounding territories as its effort of preparedness.
Key organizational objectives

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It is the responsibility of the agency to ensure that response personnel from the federal,
state and local government levels get trained through what is known as the Cert program that is
carried out to ensure that people;
 Can help organize the most basic types of response
 Learn how to respond to both natural and manmade hazards safely
 Promote emergency response preparedness by participating and hosting related
community events
Organizational training
The basic course of Cert is delivered to people in the community by a team that involves
first responders including other qualified volunteers. The timing and organization of this training
process and the relevant meetings vary from one program to the other (FEmA, 2009b). The
process is normally broken up into blocks of two to four hours over weekends and evening
series. These include;
 Disaster preparedness which addresses the hazards, most specific to the communities.
The materials cover the actions that all the participants including their families undergo
before, during and after any disaster. This includes any overview on the governing laws
and Cert on the volunteers
 Fire suppression which covers the fire hazards, fire chemistry, hazardous materials and
the strategies of fire suppression. However, session’s thrust involves the safe use of
controlling utilities, fire extinguishers and the extinguishing of small fires (Lindell, Perry,
Prater, & Nicholson, 2006).

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 Part I of medical operation whereby the participants practice about treating and
diagnosing railway obstruction shock and bleeding through the use of rapid and triage
techniques of treatment.
 Part II of medical operations which covers patient evaluation by carrying out toe to head
assessment, performing first aid basics and establishing areas of treatment.
 Light rescue and search operations where the participants are taught about searching and
rescue planning, search techniques size-up, rescuer safety and rescue techniques (FEMA,
2012b).
 Team organization and psychology which covers the symptoms and signs that the disaster
victims and workers may experience. It also addresses the organization and management
of Cert.
 Disaster simulation and course review where the participants practice and review about
the skills that they already learnt during the other six previous sessions in disaster
activities (FEMA, 2011).
Funding of FEMA
The agency has an annual budget of not less than $18 billion that it uses by distributing to
different states based on the emergencies experienced in each of them (FEMA, 2009a). The
agency discloses an annual list regarding the use of the funds at the end of each year on its
website. Much of its funding comes from the federal government. The agency leads a public and
private partnership that creates a national donations program of management. This makes it
easier for individuals and corporations not engaged previously, to provide financial help to the
federal and state governments during times of disaster. This program involves a partnership
among the FEMA, participating governments of states, corporations or corporate associations

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and relief agencies. The Aidmatrix network which an online technology solution, is the technical
backbone of this donations program (FEMA, 2013). The network is managed by the Aidmatrix,
which is a nonprofit organization which is independent.
The costs related to disaster can be a big burden and can pile up fast depending on the
magnitude of the issue. In this case, the federal government comes in to help with the president’s
approval and governor’s request. All the public help that involve the repair of facilities is
normally 75% funded by the federal government. The local and state governments are given the
responsibility of covering the remaining 25% unless the state government gives aid or loan
grants (FEMA, 2012). FEMA is not responsible for compensating buildings that are improperly
maintained by local and state and does not pay to improve or upgrade facilities. The agency
coordinates and does not fund any disaster assistance that the small business administration and
the farmers home administration are set to give. The grant–in aids for FEMA come from
department of housing, revenue sharing, department of transportation and urban development.
The grants for the preparedness of disaster are utilized by the districts of flood control.
Conclusion
FEMA serves as a federal, local and state agency that helps respond to natural calamities
and disaster that affects the related assets. The governor is responsible for declaring an
emergency and requesting the agency for aid through the approval of the president. It is
responsible for training personnel that helps respond to any disaster in the community.
Sometimes FEMA advices the states to attend to some disaster issues through mutual aid
agreements like the civil disaster and defense compact. This involves neighboring states and
counties, cities and states, counties and cities or regions. It may also distribute funds and
resources to respond to any disaster that is too big for local and state governments to manage.

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References
FEMA, E. (2011). Reducing the risks of nonstructural earthquake damage. Practical Guide,
January.
FEMA, E. 74 (2013). Reducing the Risks of Nonstructural Earthquake Damage: A Practical
Guide.
FEMA, P. (2009a). 750. NEHRP recommended seismic provisions for new buildings and other
structures. Washington, DC (USA): Building Seismic Safety Council.
FEmA, P. (2009b). 695. Quantification of building seismic performance factors", prepared by
the Applied Technology Council (ATC) for the Federal Emergency Management Agency,
Washington, DC.
FEMA, P. (2012b). Seismic performance assessment of buildings. Implementation Guide"."
Applied Technology Council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, CA, USA.
FEMA. (2012a). Seismic Performance Assessment of Buildings, FEMA P‐58.
Lindell, M. K., Perry, R. W., Prater, C., & Nicholson, W. C. (2006). Fundamentals of emergency
management. Washington, DC: FEMA.
Lukkunaprasit, P., Thanasisathit, N., & Yeh, H. (2009). Experimental verification of FEMA
P646 tsunami loading. Journal of Disaster Research, 4(6), 410-418.