Latest FEMA Headlines

All the headlines from our FEMA Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Louisiana Disaster Response Improved Post-Katrina but Gaps Remain

Sep 9 2016 // Eleven years ago, Sam Barbera hooked up his boat and headed to New Orleans to ferry people from Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters. Four weeks ago, he found himself in another boat for rescues — this time at home in...

Louisiana Commissioner Urges Flood Insurance Proof of Loss Extension

Sep 8 2016 // As a result of the record-breaking flooding in his state in August, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon is asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to extend the filing deadline for Louisiana...

Three California Entities Get FEMA Preparedness Awards

Sep 6 2016 // Three California entities were named by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as winners of its annual preparedness awards.The FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards recognize the outstanding efforts of...

Senator Says FEMA to Fund Crisis Counseling for Louisiana Flood Victims

Sep 2 2016 // A U.S. senator says the Federal Emergency Management Agency will provide Louisiana with $6.8 million to fund crisis counseling for flood victims.Sen. David Vitter’s office announced the grant in a news release...

Mobile Homes, not Travel Trailers, Headed to Louisiana after Deadly Flooding

Aug 26 2016 // Mobile homes will fill front yards across southern Louisiana again, just like after Hurricane Katrina, as federal authorities bring in temporary housing for thousands of people displaced by catastrophic flooding.These...

3 California Entitles Get FEMA Preparedness Awards

Aug 24 2016 // Three California entities were named by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as winners for its annual preparedness awards.The winners of the 2016 FEMA Individual and Community Preparedness Awards were announced today....

Flood Claims Mount; FEMA Extends Insurance Renewal Period for Some in Louisiana

Aug 23 2016 // Due to the damage and displacement caused by recent flooding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended to 120 days the grace period to renew flood insurance policies in certain Louisiana parishes.The...

FEMA Claims Mississippi Misused $30M in Funds to Retrofit Homes After Katrina

Aug 23 2016 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency says it won’t repay Mississippi for nearly $30 million spent to retrofit homes after Hurricane Katrina unless the state can prove the money was well spent.The state failed to...

Analysis: Flooding Intensifies Louisiana’s Financial Woes

Aug 22 2016 // “How’s your house?” That’s the new greeting for many across south Louisiana as a 20-parish area digs out of catastrophic flooding and its aftermath. The logical next question often remains unspoken:...

NAIC Drafts Changes for NFIP, Encourages Long-Term Reauthorization

Aug 22 2016 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has released its recommendations for changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) when it goes up before Congress for reauthorization next year.The...

NAIC Drafts Changes for NFIP, Encourages Long-Term Reauthorization

Aug 15 2016 // The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has released its recommendations for changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) when it goes up before Congress for reauthorization next year.The...

New York AG Charges Engineering Firm with Doctoring Sandy Claims Reports

Aug 2 2016 // New York authorities charged a Long Island engineering firm and one of its former executives with forging damage reports for homes swamped by Hurricane Sandy, altering the documents in such a way that owners’ flood...

FEMA Approves UMass Disaster Mitigation Plan

Jul 27 2016 // The University of Massachusetts has won state and federal approval of plans to protect the system’s campuses from natural hazards.School officials say it’s necessary to prepare for threats such as storms or...

The Politics of Safety, Affordability and Building Codes: Viewpoint

Jul 10 2016 // In April, some 1,200 home builders, inspectors, architects and engineers gathered in Louisville, Kentucky, to debate the standards that should guide construction of the next wave of U.S. houses. Engineers had a seemingly...

West Virginia Flood Damages At Least 5K Homes; $10M in FEMA Aid Available

Jul 5 2016 // The Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved more than $10 million in individual assistance to West Virginia homeowners and renters following last month’s devastating flooding.FEMA says more than 2,000...

Arkansas Emergency Official Likes FEMA’s Disaster Deductible Proposal

Jun 8 2016 // Arkansas’ emergency management director said he favors a proposal from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that gives states disaster “deductibles” as an incentive for the state to be better prepared...

Louisiana Residents Face June 13 Deadline for FEMA Assistance

Jun 6 2016 // Louisiana disaster survivors in 36 parishes have until June 13 to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for recovery assistance. The Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency...

PBS/NPR Documentary Adds to Criticism of Private Insurers, FEMA Over Profits on Flood Insurance

May 25 2016 // Private insurance companies working for the government’s flood insurance program have made hundreds of millions of dollars at the same time that thousands of homeowners are claiming they have been underpaid for...

FEMA Vows Changes to Flood Insurance Claims Appeals

May 25 2016 // After learning some hard lessons from Superstorm Sandy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency says it is reforming the way it handles appeals from disgruntled policyholders in the National Flood Insurance Program.The...

Why FEMA Disaster Aid Deductible Makes Sense, Except to Local Officials and Builders

May 13 2016 // The proposal boiled down to just three paragraphs in the Federal Register: Would it be a good idea, the Federal Emergency Management Agency wondered, if Washington gave states a financial incentive to pass building codes,...