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Forty-four percent of Americans do not have $400 on hand to cover an emergency expense. These Americans will be ill-prepared to care for themselves and their families in the wake of a disaster.I was pleased to join Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Acting Director Mick Mulvaney recently at a public meeting of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC). I shared FEMA’s vision for financial preparedness, specifically discussing our efforts to close the insurance gap (the difference between what is currently insured and what is insurable...
Posted On: October 16, 2018 View in FEMA Multimedia LibraryThe time to prepare for Hurricane Florence is now. This powerful storm is expected to bring powerful winds, flooding, storm surge, and dangerous rip currents. Storm tracks can change swiftly, so it’s important to prepare now. Basic services, such as cell service, power, and water, may be disrupted for an extended period of time. Here are some steps you can take:Fill up your gas tank and stock your vehicle with supplies with food that does not need to be stored in a refrigerator and drinking water. Get refills of your medications now for any needed...
Posted On: September 11, 2018 Building a “Culture of Preparedness” and readying a nation for disaster isn’t limited to the United States. A three-day summit at the Emergency Management Institute that focused on emergency management training and education continues the collaboration between FEMA and Mexico’s National Center for Disaster Prevention. Supported by the U.S. Northern Command’s Humanitarian Assistance Branch, the two agencies agreed to a six to 10 year project that will strengthen emergency management training and education in both countries. They committed to sharing knowledge in...
Posted On: August 8, 2018 On Aug. 1, 1968, the U.S. Congress implemented the National Flood Insurance Act that created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Federal Insurance Administration within the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide flood insurance in communities that voluntarily adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances, which meet minimum NFIP requirements.A lot has happened since the inception of the NFIP. During the last 50 years, the program has identified flood hazards by mapping over 1 million miles of riverine and coastal areas; provided over $1 billion dollars in...
Posted On: August 1, 2018
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August 1st marks the 50th anniversary of the National Flood Insurance Act, the guiding legislation of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program provides flood insurance coverage to millions of households and small businesses in over 22,000 communities and also provides floodplain management and building codes to protect those communities from future flooding. We talk to David Maurstad, FEMA’s chief executive for the National Flood Insurance Program, about the history of the program and reflect on the public service of...
Posted On: August 1, 2018 After every disaster, no matter where or what size, there is a marked difference between insured disaster survivors and disaster survivors without adequate insurance. The insured survivor can begin to repair and rebuild their home or business. The survivor without a flood insurance policy may face a far more uncertain future. While FEMA or other government or non-profit agencies may provide some assistance, it is typically geared toward immediate survival needs. The uninsured survivor may use up their savings, incur debt, or even lose their home or business.Simply put, flood insurance is the...
Posted On: July 31, 2018 The National Flood Insurance Program has worked to protect the life you’ve built for the past 50 years and will continue to do so into the future. Don’t let rumors and myths drive your decisions. Here are the five most common myths about flood insurance. MYTH: I receive flood insurance through my homeowner's insurance.FACT: Homeowner insurance policies do not normally cover flood damage. That is why the federal government backs the NFIP. You can purchase Federal flood insurance through an insurance agent or company. The average cost of a flood...
Posted On: July 23, 2018 Are you a life-long learner, or do you enjoy discovering new topics you didn’t even realize you’d find interesting?That seems to be the outcome for a majority of podcast listeners who access this popular digital platform in ever increasing numbers to listen and learn about an array of topics from hard-hitting news to how things work. Described as “Internet-radio-on-demand,” the world of podcasting has exploded in recent years as an easy-to-use, mobile source of information, as well as a rare, but welcome reprieve from the ever present smartphone or laptop screen...
Posted On: June 14, 2018 My first day on the job at FEMA was the day Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico. Since then I’ve seen firsthand the tireless efforts of FEMA’s dedicated workforce in supporting disaster survivors from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, the catastrophic California wildfires, and dozens of other disasters around the nation.As we moved from immediate response and recovery to long term recovery, we reflected on the lessons from the 2017 disasters. In doing so, we contemplated not only how to increase our readiness for catastrophic disasters, but also how best to reduce impacts...
Posted On: June 4, 2018 Editor’s Note: Mr. Landsea had the unique opportunity through NOAA’s Leadership Competency Development Program to work at FEMA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. for three months. While at FEMA, he contributed to both the training conducted by the National Hurricane Program as well as developing the “ground truth” for Hurricane Cora’s simulated landfall into Virginia. The 2017 hurricane season will be remembered for the extreme devastation it caused in Texas, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Florida as well as our neighbors in the...
Posted On: June 1, 2018