Hurricane Katrina: National Guard The National Guard searching for survivors in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. FEMA's response to the disaster led to changes in the agency. (more) Federal Emergency Management Agency United States government agency Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Federal-Emergency-Management-Agency Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Federal-Emergency-Management-Agency Also known as: FEMA Written by Michele Metych Michele has a B.A. in English from Southeast Missouri State University and an M.A. from DePaul University. She's a Chicago girl at heart, but she still misses living in a place with farms. When she's not... Michele Metych Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Oct 8, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), independent U.S. government organization dedicated to disaster relief. Part of the Department of Homeland Security since 2003, FEMA employs more than 20,000 people across 10 regional offices and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. More than $20 billion was allocated to the organization’s Disaster Relief Fund in 2024, with an additional $3.5 billion earmarked for disaster readiness training at the state, local, territorial, and tribal levels. FEMA’s coordination, before, during, and after natural and human-generated disasters is central to the distribution of federal resources, but the agency continues to be dogged by criticism that its bureaucracy ...(100 of 971 words)

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