Updated:	2001-10-09 08:04:28
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is the federal agency in charge of helping people before and after a disaster. The agency, usually just called FEMA, is called in to help when the President declares a disaster. Disasters are "declared" after hurricanes, tornados, floods, earthquakes or other similar events strike a community. The Governor of the state must ask for help from the President before FEMA can respond. FEMA workers help disaster victims find a place to stay if their homes were damaged or destroyed. FEMA also helps repair homes and works with city officials to fix public buildings that have been damaged. Just as important, FEMA helps people BEFORE a disaster. FEMA teaches people how to prepare for a disaster and how to make their homes as safe as possible. FEMA works with communities to help them build safer, stronger buildings that are less likely to be damaged. FEMA also trains firefighters and emergency workers, and runs a flood insurance program. FEMA is an EXECUTIVE BRANCH agency, which means it reports to the President of the United States. Congress provides FEMA's budget each year and sets aside money to help people in the event of disasters.
Related Website:	www.fema.gov/
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Additional Information:	FEMA for Kids, the part of the FEMA web site devoted to children, offers advice on how parents can discuss terrorism to their children. The site also includes general guidelines about dealing with disasters' impact on children and an opportunity for schools to submit artwork children have done in an effort to share their feelings. This site can be found at: www.fema.gov/kids FEMA also discusses How to Talk to Children about the Threat of Biological Warfare or Terrorist Attack. This site can be found at: http://www.fema.gov/kids/terrorism.htm
Author:	ss