United States President Donald Trump threatened to end the federal emergency management agency (Fema), accusing the agency not to do his work.
“Fema simply didn’t do the job. And we are analyzing the complete concept of Fema. I frankly like the concept that when North Carolina is hit, the governor takes care of it. When Florida is hit, the governor takes care of this, that is, the state takes care of it, ”he said on a visit to areas affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
In an interview with CNN, Deanne Criswell, a former FEMA chief, said there are many misunderstandings about the agency’s functions. Learn below about FEMA and your work.
What is FEMA?
The federal emergency management agency is the US government agency that aims to help citizens before, during and after disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and floods.
His reputation was shaken by the mismanagement of the Katrina Hurricane in 2005.
FEMA has a workforce of 20,000 people, which can increase to more than 50,000 active members during large disasters, according to its website. It has 10 regional offices and the ability to coordinate funds throughout the federal government.
Officially created in 1979, it became part of the US internal security department on March 1, 2003.
How does fima act?
According to the agency’s website, she tries to build a culture of national preparation through active community engagement, training, education and planning.
It also helps to indicate the risk of areas that can be hit by disasters such as floods, for example, and provide tools and features, including maps.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is managed by FEMA, for example.
The agency also assists communities emergency or disaster -related subsidy programs.
Subsidies support “state, local, tribal and territorial governments, certain non -profit private organizations, individuals and higher education institutions in recovery initiatives, research and more,” according to the agency’s website.

In addition, FEMA coordinates the federal response to disasters that receive a presidential disaster statement. “We work closely with authorities in states, tribal nations and territories as they respond to disasters and make federal support requests,” explains the agency.
When a disaster happens, local government officials review the damage to determine the extension and its impact. If it is determined to need federal assistance, they send a request for a federal disaster declaration.
All emergency statements and large disasters are made exclusively at the discretion of the president of the United States, according to FEMA.
After the disasters, the federal disaster management agency assists local communities and governments, for example, with “recovery itineraries” and community management tool kits.
In an interview with CNN, Deanne Criswell has attributed certain tasks, such as cleaning off, to other federal agencies, such as the US Army Engineers’ body, which took rubble on recent disasters. States cannot activate these resources on their own.
Criticism against Fema
The US disaster management agency has been widely criticized for its work against the impacts of some hurricanes, including in Puerto Rico in 2017, when the territory was hit by Hurricane Maria.
Residents accused Trump, who was president at the time, of being slow to send help after Maria and public comments when it was clear that US territory had been devastated.
In addition, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and flooded parts of the city while residents gathered in poorly prepared shelters.
Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast of Mexico and caused more than 1,800 deaths. It also destroyed the reputation of FEMA, which was harshly criticized.
*With information from Reuters
This content was originally published in The Fema, the US emergency agency that is in Trump’s sights on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil

Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.