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      EnglishEspañolFrançaisKreyòlTiếng Việt简体中文한국어  About Us
              
              
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

              Strategic Plan
                          Strategic Plan

                      About FEMA
                  
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                        
                    
          
                    
                            
                                                    Table of Contents
                                                Letter From Administrator
                                                                      Current Landscape
                                                Introduction
                                                Goal 1 - Equity
                                                Goal 2 - Climate Resilience
                                                Goal 3 - Readiness
                                                Appendix 1 - Performance Measures
                                                Appendix 2 - Learning Agenda
                              
                                                            How FEMA Works
                                                                                  Offices & Leadership
                                                        Regions, States & Territories
                                                        Tribal Affairs
                                                        How to Pay FEMA
                                                        History of FEMA
                                                        Contact Us
          About FEMA
On April 1, 1979, President Carter established the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the dual functions of civil defense and emergency management. The agency’s authorities were further defined and expanded by a series of legislative actions.



The Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Amendments of 1988 amended the Disaster Relief Act of 1974 and renamed it the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act). The Stafford Act established the current statutory framework for disaster response and recovery through presidential disaster declarations. Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, President W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act (2002), uniting FEMA with 21 other organizations under the newly created U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Over the next two decades, Congress passed a series of legislation following significant disaster events that further shaped the agency — the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (2006), the Sandy Reform Act (2012), and the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (2018).



A woman in a FEMA vest talks to children and adults on a front porch



Today, FEMA is called upon to help its partners understand and reduce their disaster risk, to lead the coordination of federal response efforts to stabilize communities after a disaster, and to provide support for individuals and communities to build back and become more resilient than before.



The agency leads the nation by building collaborative partnerships, delivering federal assistance, and providing resources to help individuals and communities review, build, and continuously improve their own capabilities.



FEMA Mission



FEMA’s mission is **helping people before, during, and after disasters.**Over 20,000 agency employees form a team of dedicated emergency management leaders. These leaders work collaboratively to share experiences and resources, building the FEMA the nation needs and deserves. They draw upon the strengths and expertise of stakeholders from all levels of government — tribal nations, territories, individuals, communities, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations — to guide how FEMA accomplishes its mission. Whether it is before a flood, amid hurricane season, or after a wildfire damages a community, FEMA is committed to helping people.



FEMA Core Values



A group of FEMA responders talk to two survivors who are standing on a front porch



FEMA’s core values of **compassion, fairness, integrity, and respect**are at the heart of what the agency and its employees stand for and represent. These values form the solid foundation of who FEMA is, what the agency believes, and how it approaches serving the nation. These core values apply to FEMA’s interactions with survivors, colleagues, and stakeholders every single day.
      
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Last updated October 16, 2023

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