{"id":110703,"date":"2024-10-05T14:23:52","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T07:23:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110703"},"modified":"2024-10-05T14:23:52","modified_gmt":"2024-10-05T07:23:52","slug":"fema-has-faced-criticism-and-praise-during-helene-heres-what-it-does-and-doesnt-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110703","title":{"rendered":"FEMA has faced criticism and praise during Helene. Here&#8217;s what it does \u2014 and doesn&#8217;t do"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with helping states and <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-asheville-north-carolina-1a2255b9d1dd5cd9554a76b45c7a695c\">communities hit by disasters like Hurricane Helene<\/a><\/span>. <\/p>\n<p>With Helene hitting during the homestretch of <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/election-2024\">an election year<\/a><\/span>, the agency has been criticized by some residents and politicians, like Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who have <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/helene-hurricane-damage-fema-trump-biden-harris-e5c1feed690765bac4d7096ce9dceb96\">questioned its response<\/a><\/span> and are spreading false information that its funding is going to migrants or foreign wars. <\/p>\n<p>The Biden administration has defended FEMA\u2019s work and says it has the money it needs to help communities right now. <\/p>\n<p>President Joe Biden does say the agency will need more cash in the future. In a letter late Friday to congressional leaders, he wrote that \u201cwhile FEMA\u2019s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.\u201d He also called on lawmakers to act quickly to restore funding to the Small Business Administration\u2019s disaster loan program.<\/p>\n<p>There are a lot of misperceptions about <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-asheville-north-carolina-water-737bd51b1351315dc28522e36c425f18\">FEMA\u2019s role in disaster recovery<\/a><\/span>, what it does \u2014 and does not \u2014 pay for and what residents in hurricane-hit areas can expect. <\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s a closer look:<\/p>\n<h2>What does FEMA do and where does it get its money? <\/h2>\n<p>FEMA has an operating budget and a disaster relief fund. The fund gets replenished every year by Congress and is used to pay for recovery from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other disasters. FEMA also pays for rebuilding from past disasters and for projects designed to <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-kirk-east-coast-tropical-storm-leslie-b9c68f6d7a5bb2d16364e69f7fc856b2\">protect communities against future calamity<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is kind of like the emergency account for the country,\u201d said Samantha L. Montano, an assistant professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<\/p>\n<p>Congress recently <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/congress-spending-bill-speaker-johnson-shutdown-7917f589502c40d4815f1b9583d3fa23\">replenished the fund with $20 billion<\/a><\/span> \u2014 the same amount FEMA got last year. About $8 billion of that is set aside for recovery from previous storms and mitigation projects.<\/p>\n<p>The federal government doesn\u2019t help with every disaster \u2014 it generally has to be above the ability of a community or state to handle. In that case, the governor or tribal authority asks the president for an emergency declaration.<\/p>\n<p>Once declared, FEMA assistance varies widely. Public assistance \u2014 which is a lot of what it pays for \u2014 is geared toward reimbursing governments for debris removal or rebuilding roads, public buildings and more.<\/p>\n<p>FEMA also has individual assistance, designed to help residents. This can include one-time payments for emergency needs up to a trailer for someone who lost their house.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-emergency-warnings-94a5762dc540dc79bb89cf33d358dc30\">When there is warning<\/a><\/span> \u2014 like with hurricanes \u2014 FEMA coordinates with state and local governments about what they need and can pre-position supplies like tarps or water in areas likely to be most affected. FEMA also has search-and-rescue teams.<\/p>\n<p>But experts stress that the federal agency isn\u2019t in charge of the entire process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEverybody thinks that FEMA just comes in right after the disaster and starts managing the entire disaster. And that\u2019s just not the case,\u201d said Brock Long, who was FEMA administrator from 2017 to 2019.<\/p>\n<h2>Does FEMA have enough money to respond to Hurricane Helene?<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/trump-brian-kemp-hurricane-helene-biden-75ed7f49ffd1a9b07ba82e18abecaa47\">Trump accused FEMA<\/a><\/span> of spending all its money to help immigrants in the country illegally, while other critics assert that the government spends too much on foreign funding for Israel or Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFEMA absolutely has enough money for Helene response right now,\u201d said Keith Turi, acting director of FEMA\u2019s Office of Response and Recovery, noting the $20 billion from Congress.<\/p>\n<p>FEMA called Trump\u2019s accusations \u201ccompletely false.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The agency administers the Shelter and Services Program, which gives money to reimburse cities, towns or organizations for immigration-related expenses. But that comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress for Customs and Border Protection. FEMA gives out the money, but it doesn\u2019t come from the disaster relief fund.<\/p>\n<p>Congress also <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/ukraine-aid-israel-gaza-taiwan-c0645ad3f47f9d919c8988a98593e887\">separately funds foreign military aid<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>There are long-term funding concerns for FEMA, however.<\/p>\n<p>Turi said the agency was already working to make what\u2019s called a \u201csupplemental\u201d funding request to Congress before Helene hit. In the storm\u2019s wake, it\u2019s clear they\u2019ll need even more money, he said.<\/p>\n<p>Both Homeland <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-congress-fema-funding-5be4f18e00ce2b509d6830410cf2c1cb\">Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas<\/a><\/span>, who oversees FEMA, and Biden have sounded the alarm about more money needed in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking from a Georgia pecan <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-recover-biden-visit-823be75adbed4fa1d7c108a207dbb3e3\">farm devastated by Helene<\/a><\/span>, Biden said the supplemental funding could not wait: \u201cPeople need help now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>FEMA seeking extra money is not uncommon. Long said he had to go back to Congress three times during his tenure for more cash. <\/p>\n<p>A <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbo.gov\/publication\/58840\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2022 Congressional Budget Office<\/a><\/span> report said that most of the money that goes to the disaster relief fund actually comes in these supplemental requests. Extra money that\u2019s needed varies depending on the disaster, but the report noted that \u201ca small number of those disasters account for a disproportionate share of total spending.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>What happens when the disaster fund runs low?<\/h2>\n<p>The disaster assistance fund sometimes runs low in late summer before Congress passes a new budget. When that happens, FEMA shifts to what\u2019s called \u201cimmediate needs funding.\u201d That means the agency stops paying out for previous disasters and conserves its money for life-saving missions during any new ones.<\/p>\n<p>When the disaster relief fund is replenished \u2014 like what <span class=\"LinkEnhancement\"><a class=\"Link AnClick-LinkEnhancement\" data-gtm-enhancement-style=\"LinkEnhancementA\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/congress-spending-bill-speaker-johnson-shutdown-7917f589502c40d4815f1b9583d3fa23\">just happened last week<\/a><\/span> \u2014 then money will flow again to longer-term projects.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonestly, there\u2019s a lot of work that needs to be done to streamline it and rethink, \u2018How can a disaster relief fund &#8230; be set up in a manner where the FEMA administrator is not constantly having to ask for supplemental funding?\u201d Long said.<\/p>\n<h2>Will FEMA give me enough to rebuild? <\/h2>\n<p>No. It\u2019s important to know not just what FEMA does, but what it doesn\u2019t do, especially for individuals.<\/p>\n<p>One claim floating around after Helene is that disaster survivors only get $750 from FEMA. That figure refers to help that the agency can give someone in an affected area for what they might need immediately, like clothing or food, Turi said. <\/p>\n<p>From there, the agency can provide other things like money for a storage unit, medical bills or rental assistance depending on the situation.<\/p>\n<p>For homeowners, the first line of defense is always insurance. Those who don\u2019t have insurance or not enough can turn to FEMA, but the maximum amount someone can get to rebuild is $42,500. That\u2019s a far cry from what is needed to fix severe damage or rebuild completely.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is one of the kind of major problems FEMA has in terms of how the public understands their role and responsibility,\u201d said Montano, the professor. \u201cFEMA does not make anybody whole after a disaster happens. They are not going to give you enough money to completely recover your life.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script>\n  window.fbAsyncInit = function() {\n      FB.init({\n              appId : '870613919693099',\n          xfbml : true,\n          version : 'v2.9'\n      });\n  };\n  (function(d, s, id){\n     var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n     if (d.getElementById(id)) {return;}\n     js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n     js.src = \"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\";\n     fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n   }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hurricane-helene-fema-trump-disasters-b191d88e2ab77d3b79eeeb860e4ae13b\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) \u2014 The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with helping states and communities hit by disasters like Hurricane Helene. With Helene hitting during the homestretch of an election &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=110703\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8629],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-u-s","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110703","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=110703"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110703\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=110703"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=110703"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=110703"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}