MSE 5101 Unit IV Blog Creative Writing Research Paper

Blog: The Stafford Act
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Blog: The Stafford Act
Disasters can cripple countries. They can leave damage imprints that will last for years. Today, Japan is still trying to heal and move on from the 2011 disaster that struck the country. One could say that in a disaster, death is bliss because it saves one of the sufferings and mental torture that often becomes the new normal for those left behind. However, as human beings, we always try to find ways to cheat death and the numerous ways it conjures to try and bestow its inevitable touch. Our humanity pushes us to do the best we can to save as many people as we can from disasters. Is this always the case? We all know the answer to this question, but that does not mean we should not prepare ourselves for what is coming. We know we will lose the war, but we live for the few battles we end up winning.
Every country in the world prepares itself for the inevitability of disasters, the U.S. included. However, as people often find out, not every incident is classified or declared a disaster. There is a process involved, and one that involves the president. After an incident has happened in the U.S., the first thing that happens is damage assessment. A report is written and delivered to the governor of the state experiencing the disaster from this preliminary assessment. Upon reviewing the report, the governor then decides to ask the president for help. In the request for assistance, the governor must demonstrate that he/she the disaster exceeds what they can handle as a state. When the request reached the president, he/she issues a declaration.
In some cases, the president can issue the declaration without a formal request by the governor; after the president's declaration, FEMA or the Federal Emergency Management Agency determines the hardest-hit areas and the ones that should receive aid. While it makes sense to do all the above before a disaster is declared, one cannot be faulted to point out the bureaucracy involved. As Arcadi and Eilbert (2020) reported, the federal government's bureaucracy put the entire country at risk during the current coronavirus pandemic.
If you are like me and wondering about the lengthy process, you will be disappointed to learn that it does not end there. You would think that at this time, FEMA will release the resources need to help alleviate the damage already caused. However, that is not the case. The president has to appoint a coordinating officer, who then appoints a disaster recovery officer. On the other hand, the state appoints its coordinating officer, who is expected to work together with the federal coordinating officer. At this point now, FEMA releases the resources needed as well as the response teams. Planning for disasters is indeed crucial, but the process described above is quite long. Lives could be on the line, and carrying on with the bureaucracy described above could cost the nation some great minds.
Role of the Federal Government in Times of Disaster
Through the executive branch, the federal government's role is to declare the disaster and release the funds required to handle the issue. According to the Stafford Act, the federal government only plays a supplemental role to the local, state, and private relief organizations. It cannot get involved unless it has been established that the disaster is overwhelming to the State government. It is crucial to note that FEMA is the last resort. The federal government's help through FEMA comes after the state has requested it through formal writing that the State or local government has been overwhelmed. While this may seem like an appropriate way of making sure States do not ask for help in situations they can handle by themselves, it also leaves them vulnerable to more losses and damages like seen and experienced in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria (Banerjee, 2019).
Programs Available to Disaster Victims through the Stafford Act
The Stafford Act has several programs through which the federal government offers assistance to States. They include Mass Care and Emergency Assistance, Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, Disaster Legal Services, Disaster Case Management, and Individuals and Households Program.
The Individual Assistance Programs mainly deal with...