Question

Can you think of times in which the people have asked the government for support? Can you think of agencies that have been created to help during a state of emergency? Can you think of a time in which a government agency was used for support? What support was expected? What support was received?\

Answer 1

During natural disasters, the people ask and expect the federal government to provide support, both material and moral. Material support not only includes immediate relief efforts as the distribution of food, medical care, clothing and security, it also includes financial support as federal funds and grants for reconstruction purposed. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Administration) was created for that purpose. It is supposed to organize and channel support and resources to any state that has suffered a natural disaster and whose governor requests that a state of emergency is declared and that FEMA and the federal government intervene in order to assist the population. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 is one occasion when FEMA was used for support though because of an inefficient previous reorganization and its Director’s mismanagement it failed miserably. The population of New Orleans expected FEMA to coordinate rescue efforts to residents trapped in flooded houses or buildings and organize first responders to provide food, security, shelter and medical attention. However local incompetence by New Orleans major and FEMA’s own unpreparedness resulted in the very meager and disorganized relief efforts to be quickly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the disaster, causing hundreds of deaths.