The Enterprise Analytics Division encourages and enables FEMA to make data-driven decisions by empowering the Agency’s analytic community, building cross-cutting analytic capabilities, and providing trusted, high-impact decision support.
Why do we need analytics at the enterprise level?
In a rapidly changing and interconnected world, the pressure on government agencies to make timely and accurate decisions has never been greater, especially in the field of emergency management. The ability to recognize challenges, identify opportunities for improvement, and adapt to changing situations is a requirement for effective mission execution. FEMA recognizes the value of using data to "work smarter". By building a culture of analytics and evidence-based management, FEMA is making better-informed decisions in support of its mission to continuously improve the Nation's ability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
What is the Enterprise Analytics Division?
In 2014, FEMA established the Enterprise Analytics Division (EAD) in the Office of Policy and Program Analysis (OPPA). The mission of OPPA is to effectively drive FEMA forward. The EAD helps accomplish that mission by encouraging the Agency's analytics community, building cross-cutting analytic capabilities, and providing trusted, high-impact decision support. Our vision is for FEMA to drive better outcomes for citizens and first responders by working smarter through its innovative and impactful use of data analytics.
What are the objectives of the Enterprise Analytics Division?
The EAD has four main objectives:
Transform Data into Actionable Insights: Drive progress toward FEMA strategic objectives and tackle cross-cutting issues through tailored analyses that are transparent, defensible, and actionable. Get insights to those who can use them to inform decisions and make an impact.
Embed Analytics into Business Processes: Help FEMA accomplish its mission more effectively and efficiently through building, improving, and automating data-driven processes and performance measures. Capture the impact and value of analytics toward accomplishing Agency mission objectives.
Cultivate Analytic Capability and Community: Empower FEMA employees by providing the right tools, training, information, and resources to be successful and change the culture. Build and support a collaborative analytic community across FEMA’s components and Regions.
Mature Agency Data and Infrastructure: Increase the quality, accessibility, transparency, and utility of FEMA’s data through advancing standards, policies, governance structures, and business intelligence tools. Champion enterprise investments in data architecture and infrastructure to enable better analytics across the Agency.
For more information about the Enterprise Analytics Division, please contact enterpriseanalytics@fema.dhs.gov.
FEMASTAT
In 2011, the Agency's senior leaders recognized that FEMA needed to develop an analytical group to assess progress on key initiatives and to facilitate evidence-based decision-making. To address this need, they created the FEMAStat program, modeled after similar programs in other public sector agencies at the local, state, and federal levels. FEMAStat provides analytical support to FEMA components by quantitative researching and assessing high-priority topics, facilitating decision-making session for senior leaders, and tracking the status of action-items resulting from the sessions.
For more information on FEMAStat contact femastat@fema.dhs.gov.