Understanding FEMA Regions: A Comprehensive Guide

As of this writing, there have already been major tornado outbreaks along the Mississippi Valley, along with widespread flooding that is incredibly destructive. The LA wildfires from earlier this year resulted in damages of approximately a quarter of a trillion dollars.

Natural disasters aren’t slowing down, and the federal agency tasked with responding to them, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is responsible for on-the-ground support. To do this more effectively, there are ten FEMA regions to support disaster recovery in the United States, the Marshall Islands, Puerto Rico, and even tribal nations. 

Here’s the Greenwood Aerospace guide to the FEMA regions.  

Introduction to Emergency Management

The United States is a land of beauty and enchantment, but it is also a land of extremes. Blizzards, tornadoes, floods, and drought ravage the Plains. The Atlantic Coast and Gulf regions are prone to torrential rain, hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. And, of course, there are wildfires all across the mountains of America. 

Over the decades, it became evident that state-level relief was inadequate as America grew. In the 1950s, a more consolidated approach was necessary due to the heightened focus on nuclear threats during the Cold War. This led to the creation of the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA) and, later, the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

Creation of FEMA in 1979

By the 1970s, Vietnam was winding down, and the focus was returning to the mainland. The fragmented approach to disaster management was widely seen as inefficient. State governors and the National Governors Association urged a centralized federal response to speed up the response and distribution of goods and resources.

On April 1, 1979, President Carter signed Executive Order 12127, which formally established FEMA, although it was not yet a cabinet-level agency as we know it today. FEMA consolidated a bunch of agencies and programs, which included:

  • The National Flood Insurance Program
  • Federal Disaster Assistance Administration
  • Defence Civil Preparedness Agency

Key Events & Disasters

FEMA has been pivotal in the response to the most significant disasters in recent American history, including the Love Canal toxic waste response, the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, and, of course, 9/11. They were also there following Hurricane Katrina, an event that prompted significant reform measures for the agency due to their initial lack of preparedness. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) plays a crucial role in emergency management, providing disaster assistance and support to local governments and communities. FEMA often does not directly aid victims but instead provides support to local or state agencies. 

FEMA’s emergency management efforts include disaster response, recovery, and mitigation programs to help communities prepare for and respond to natural disasters. The agency works closely with local officials, first responders, and territorial governments to provide on-the-ground support and resources. Thanks to Section 833 of the John Warner Defense Authorization Act of 2007 and the Federal Supply Schedules Usage Act of 2010, most of these are also eligible to make disaster purchases on GSA Advantage.

Overview of FEMA Regions

Alright, we’ve covered the history of FEMA and what it is they do. But what are the regions?

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FEMA is divided into 10 regions, each with its own regional office, including locations in Kansas City, Missouri, and Boston, Massachusetts. FEMA groups states together that make geographic sense, often having similar climates and geographies. FEMA workers need to know the lay of the land, and not in a metaphorical sense; the disaster threats in Minnesota differ from those in Arizona. This is why FEMA regions serve specific states and territories, including Puerto Rico, New York, and California.

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Each region has its own unique characteristics and challenges, requiring tailored emergency management approaches. Areas prone to severe winter weather will have a different approach than those in the target area for hurricanes. Mountainous regions are subject to sweeping wildfires 

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FEMA regions work together to coordinate disaster responses and support rebuilding efforts. The process has an ebb and flow because it is unlikely that all regions will be dealing with disasters simultaneously. Therefore, regions not currently experiencing disaster seasons can transfer materials to those that are. 

Responsibilities of FEMA Regions

Each region is responsible for providing disaster assistance and support to the local, state, and tribal governments in its jurisdiction. The regional office serves as the frontline presence to oversee disaster response and recovery efforts, including the deployment of resources and personnel. 

FEMA doesn’t just provide resources at the time of emergencies, although that is certainly a big part of it. FEMA also provides funding for projects to reduce or mitigate damage and destruction like the safe rooms pictured above in Moore, Oklahoma. 

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Regional offices play a critical role in supporting community rebuilding efforts and providing low-interest loans to affected businesses. FEMA certainly maintains an on-scene presence, which involves mobile command posts, heavy equipment, and the provision of essential emergency supplies such as water and food. However, a significant part of their process involves providing tools and resources to enable more local agencies to address these issues. 

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Programs

FEMA has allocated substantial funds for pre-disaster mitigation programs designed to mitigate the risk of damage from disasters, including flooding and hurricanes. These are called the Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Grant Program, which is part of the broader Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) suite of programs.

The goal is to minimize the impact of disasters on communities and reduce the need for federal assistance. For example, it costs significantly less money to improve levees along creeks and rivers to prevent flooding than the cost and destruction associated with major river flooding, including loss of life. 

Again, the safe rooms pictured above are another example of infrastructure improvements that increase the safety of a group of people. Since Moore has been hit twice by historic EF-5 tornadoes in less than 15 years (1999 and 2013), it is reasonable to conclude that investing money in safety shelters and safe rooms is a wise decision in the area.

Pre-disaster mitigation programs can also help reduce the economic burden of disasters on local governments. The annual allotments for the improvements are not substantial (ranging from $100 million to $300 million annually, on average), but the upgrades can save millions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of dollars and lives. 

Working with State and Local Authorities

Disaster recovery centers play a crucial role in the overall federal emergency management framework. FEMA regions occasionally distribute or loan federal property to local agency offices to aid in recovery. 

Again, it makes the most sense to break this down into individual regions because these regions can mitigate confusion and bureaucracy the most efficiently. The administrator of the region is responsible for ensuring that this happens without hindering the emergency management process. Each of FEMA’s ten regional offices is led by a Regional Administrator, who is responsible for directing and coordinating all FEMA activities within their respective region.

They also employ a deputy administrator who supports these efforts and the preservation of homeland security. The agency coordinates with local officials to identify and mitigate potential disaster risks, which extend down to the county level and sometimes even smaller areas. While relatively new, most counties across the Midwest and Great Plains have established dedicated, full-time county Emergency Management agencies tasked with supporting disaster mitigation and recovery efforts. 

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FEMA provides funding and resources to support state and local emergency management efforts, which is a major part of its mission. Not only do they provide training to bring all stakeholders on the same page, but relief funding is also significant. Unfortunately, rural states, particularly those with small populations, often lack sufficient funds in their emergency response coffers to recover from major disasters.

Regional Offices and Their Roles

There are several key responsibilities that the FEMA regions are tasked with supporting. 

Implement FEMA Programs and Policies

The Regional Offices are responsible for implementing FEMA’s programs and policies within their designated geographic area. Kansas City is responsible for a four-state region that includes Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa. FEMA Region 6, based in Dallas, covers Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, and New Mexico. Region 6 might have the most diverse geography of any of the ten regions. 

FEMA’s regional offices play a critical role in supporting emergency management efforts. From training and continuing education to coordinating efforts that bring hundreds of stakeholders on the same page, regional offices oversee disaster response and recovery efforts, including the deployment of resources and personnel.

Again, FEMA has a considerable stock of equipment, materials, and more to supply in the event of emergencies. 

Each regional office has its own unique characteristics and challenges, requiring tailored emergency management approaches. Most of the time, the regions are similar geographies, although Region 6 bucks that with New Mexico and West Texas having practically nothing in common with Arkansas and Louisiana. But it is what it is, and it works. 

Develop Regional Capabilities: Regional Offices help build up the capabilities for a national catastrophic response system. This includes creating mutual aid agreements and other cooperative arrangements that span all kinds of organizations. Interested parties are military branches, local and state law enforcement, county and city emergency management agencies, the National Weather Service, and a whole lot more. 

Future Directions

The current political administration has made deep cuts in several departments and floated numerous others, including the potential dissolution of FEMA. What does this look like? Nobody knows right now. However, until redefined or redistributed, FEMA's role will likely continue to resemble its current form for at least two decades.

FEMA will continue to evolve and adapt to emerging challenges and threats, including the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Greenwood Aerospace will meet these challenges with supplies, products, and mission support. We are currently in the process of being added to the GSA schedule, where we plan to provide bulk bottled water, sanitary and cleaning wipes, and many more items. Please check our blog regularly for updates.