FEMA Has Faced Criticism and Praise During Helene

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with serving to states and communities hit by disasters like Hurricane Helene.

With Helene hitting in the course of the homestretch of an election 12 months, the company has been criticized by some residents and politicians, like Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who’ve questioned its response and are spreading false data that its funding goes to migrants or international wars.

The Biden administration has defended FEMA’s work and says it has the cash it wants to assist communities proper now.

President Joe Biden does say the company will want more money sooner or later. In a letter late Friday to congressional leaders, he wrote that “whereas FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the assets it requires proper now to fulfill quick wants, the fund does face a shortfall on the finish of the 12 months.” He additionally known as on lawmakers to behave shortly to revive funding to the Small Business Administration’s catastrophe mortgage program.

There are a number of misperceptions about FEMA’s function in catastrophe restoration, what it does — and doesn’t — pay for and what residents in hurricane-hit areas can anticipate.

Here’s a better look:

What does FEMA do and the place does it get its cash?

FEMA has an working price range and a catastrophe reduction fund. The fund will get replenished yearly by Congress and is used to pay for restoration from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and different disasters. FEMA additionally pays for rebuilding from previous disasters and for tasks designed to guard communities in opposition to future calamity.

“This is form of just like the emergency account for the nation,” stated Samantha L. Montano, an assistant professor of emergency administration on the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Congress lately replenished the fund with $20 billion — the identical quantity FEMA obtained final 12 months. About $8 billion of that’s put aside for restoration from earlier storms and mitigation tasks.

The federal authorities does not assist with each catastrophe — it typically needs to be above the flexibility of a neighborhood or state to deal with. In that case, the governor or tribal authority asks the president for an emergency declaration.

Once declared, FEMA help varies broadly. Public help — which is a number of what it pays for — is geared towards reimbursing governments for particles elimination or rebuilding roads, public buildings and extra.

FEMA additionally has particular person help, designed to assist residents. This can embrace one-time funds for emergency wants as much as a trailer for somebody who misplaced their home.

When there may be warning — like with hurricanes — FEMA coordinates with state and native governments about what they want and may pre-position provides like tarps or water in areas more likely to be most affected. FEMA additionally has search-and-rescue groups.

But specialists stress that the federal company is not in command of the whole course of.

“Everybody thinks that FEMA simply is available in proper after the catastrophe and begins managing the whole catastrophe. And that’s simply not the case,” stated Brock Long, who was FEMA administrator from 2017 to 2019.

Does FEMA come up with the money for to answer Hurricane Helene?

Trump accused FEMA of spending all its cash to assist immigrants within the nation illegally, whereas different critics assert that the federal government spends an excessive amount of on international funding for Israel or Ukraine.

“FEMA completely has sufficient cash for Helene response proper now,” stated Keith Turi, performing director of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, noting the $20 billion from Congress.

FEMA known as Trump’s accusations “fully false.”

The company administers the Shelter and Services Program, which provides cash to reimburse cities, cities or organizations for immigration-related bills. But that comes from a separate pot of cash funded by Congress for Customs and Border Protection. FEMA provides out the cash, however it doesn’t come from the catastrophe reduction fund.

Congress additionally individually funds international navy assist.

There are long-term funding considerations for FEMA, nonetheless.

Turi stated the company was already working to make what’s known as a “supplemental” funding request to Congress earlier than Helene hit. In the storm’s wake, it is clear they’re going to want much more cash, he stated.

Both Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees FEMA, and Biden have sounded the alarm about more cash wanted sooner or later.

Speaking from a Georgia pecan farm devastated by Helene, Biden stated the supplemental funding couldn’t wait: “People need assistance now.”

FEMA looking for more money is just not unusual. Long stated he had to return to Congress thrice throughout his tenure for more money.

A 2022 Congressional Budget Office report stated that many of the cash that goes to the catastrophe reduction fund truly is available in these supplemental requests. Extra cash that is wanted varies relying on the catastrophe, however the report famous that “a small variety of these disasters account for a disproportionate share of complete spending.”

What occurs when the catastrophe fund runs low?

The catastrophe help fund typically runs low in late summer time earlier than Congress passes a brand new price range. When that occurs, FEMA shifts to what’s known as “quick wants funding.” That means the company stops paying out for earlier disasters and conserves its cash for life-saving missions throughout any new ones.

When the catastrophe reduction fund is replenished — like what simply occurred final week — then cash will circulation once more to longer-term tasks.

“Honestly, there’s a number of work that must be finished to streamline it and rethink, ‘How can a catastrophe reduction fund … be arrange in a fashion the place the FEMA administrator is just not consistently having to ask for supplemental funding?” Long stated.

Will FEMA give me sufficient to rebuild?

No. It’s essential to know not simply what FEMA does, however what it does not do, particularly for people.

One declare floating round after Helene is that catastrophe survivors solely get $750 from FEMA. That determine refers to assist that the company can provide somebody in an affected space for what they could want instantly, like clothes or meals, Turi stated.

From there, the company can present different issues like cash for a storage unit, medical payments or rental help relying on the scenario.

For householders, the primary line of protection is at all times insurance coverage. Those who haven’t got insurance coverage or not sufficient can flip to FEMA, however the most quantity somebody can get to rebuild is $42,500. That’s a far cry from what is required to repair extreme injury or rebuild fully.

“This is without doubt one of the form of main issues FEMA has by way of how the general public understands their function and accountability,” stated Montano, the professor. “FEMA doesn’t make anyone entire after a catastrophe occurs. They will not be going to provide you adequate cash to fully get better your life.”