Disaster can strike people in any community at any time, building slowly, or striking suddenly without warning. Whatever the scenario, as the federal government’s emergency management and preparedness agency, FEMA is part of a team of responders. FEMA’s mission is to reduce the loss of life and property and help communities nationwide protect themselves from all hazards, including natural disasters and acts of terrorism. FEMA supports the nation in a risk-based, comprehensive emergency management system of preparedness, protection, response, recovery and mitigation.

Continuously Strengthening Operations

To serve disaster victims and communities more quickly and effectively, FEMA builds on experience, applies lessons learned and best practices from field operations, gathers feedback from many sources, and constantly strives to improve on its operational core competencies:

• Serve Disaster Victims
• Integrated preparedness
• Incident Management
• Disaster Logistics
• Hazard Mitigation
• Emergency Communications
• Public Disaster Communications
• Continuity Programs

Moving Forward with the “New FEMA”

The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 created a “New FEMA.” With an expanded mission, stronger regions and the added responsibility of homeland security preparedness, FEMA has implemented significant, positive changes throughout the agency to help build world-class emergency management and customer service capabilities.

The new FEMA is part of a team including federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments, the private sector, non-profit and faith-based groups, and the public. The new FEMA is forward leaning, able, agile and reliable, and has inspired public trust. Through timely information, resources, tools and technical assistance, FEMA is helping families and communities overcome all hazards and helping America build a culture of preparedness.