If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

Think about a world by which a hurricane devastates the Gulf Coast, and the U.S. has no federal company ready to shortly ship provides, monetary support and short-term housing help.

Might the states handle this catastrophic occasion on their very own?

Usually, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, referred to as FEMA, is ready to marshal provides inside hours of a catastrophe and start distributing monetary support to residents who need assistance.

Nonetheless, with President Donald Trump questioning FEMA’s future and suggesting states take over restoration as a substitute, and climate change inflicting more frequent and severe disasters, it’s value asking how ready states are to face these rising challenges with out assist.

What FEMA does

FEMA was created in 1979 with the job of coordinating nationwide responses to disasters, however the federal authorities has performed necessary roles in catastrophe aid for the reason that 1800s.

Throughout a catastrophe, FEMA’s help can start solely after a state requests an emergency declaration and the U.S. president approves it. The request has to indicate that the catastrophe is so extreme that the state can’t handle the response by itself.

FEMA’s function is to assist state and native governments by coordinating federal businesses and providing financial aid and recovery assistance that states would in any other case wrestle to provide on their very own. FEMA doesn’t “take over,” as a misinformation campaign launched throughout Hurricane Helene claimed. As a substitute, it swimming pools federal sources to permit states to get better sooner from costly disasters.

Throughout a catastrophe, FEMA:

• Coordinates federal sources. For instance, throughout Hurricane Ian in 2022, FEMA coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Division of Protection and search-and-rescue groups to conduct rescue operations, organized utility crews to start restoring energy and likewise delivered water and thousands and thousands of meals.

• Supplies monetary help. FEMA distributes billions of {dollars} in catastrophe aid funds to assist people, companies and native governments get better. As of Feb. 3, 2025, FEMA aid from 2024 storms included US$1.04 billion associated to Hurricane Milton, $416.1 million for Hurricane Helene and $112.6 million for Hurricane Debby.

• Supplies logistical assist. FEMA coordinates with state and native governments, nonprofits such because the American Crimson Cross and federal businesses to provide cots, blankets and hygiene provides for emergency shelters. It additionally works with state and native companions to distribute important provides such as food, water and medical aid.

The company additionally manages the National Flood Insurance Program, gives catastrophe preparedness coaching and helps states develop response plans to enhance their total responses techniques.

What FEMA support appears like in a catastrophe

When wildfires swept by way of Maui, Hawaii, in August 2023, FEMA offered emergency grants to cowl rapid wants resembling meals, clothes and important provides for survivors.

The company organized resort rooms, rental help and monetary support for residents who misplaced properties or belongings. Its Direct Housing Program has spent $295 million to lease properties for greater than 1,200 households. This complete assist helped 1000’s of individuals start rebuilding their lives after shedding virtually every little thing.

FEMA additionally helped fund development of a temporary school to make sure that college students whose colleges burned might proceed their lessons. Hawaii, with its comparatively small inhabitants and restricted emergency funds, would have struggled to mount a comparable response by itself.

Bigger states usually need assistance, too. When a 2021 winter storm overwhelmed Texas’ energy grid and water infrastructure, FEMA coordinated the delivery of essential supplies, together with water, gasoline, mills and blankets, following the catastrophe declaration on Feb. 19, 2021. Inside days, it awarded greater than $2.8 million in grants to assist folks with short-term housing and residential repairs.

Which states would undergo most with out FEMA?

With out FEMA or different federal assist, states must handle the catastrophe response and restoration on their very own.

States liable to frequent disasters, resembling Louisiana and Florida, would face expensive recurring challenges that will doubtless exacerbate restoration delays and cut back their total resilience.

Smaller, extra rural and fewer rich states that lack the monetary sources and logistical capabilities to reply successfully can be disproportionately affected.

“States don’t have that functionality constructed to deal with a catastrophe each single yr,” Lynn Budd, director of the Wyoming Workplace of Homeland Safety, told Stateline in an interview. Entry to FEMA avoids the necessity for costly catastrophe response infrastructure in every state.

States would possibly have the ability to prepare regional cooperation. However state-led responses and regional fashions have limitations. The National Guard could assist with supply distribution, however it isn’t designed to supply quick monetary support, housing or long-term restoration choices, and the provides and the restoration effort nonetheless come at a value.

Wealthier states may be higher outfitted to handle on their very own, however poorer states would doubtless wrestle. States with much less funding and infrastructure can be left counting on nonprofits and community-based efforts. However these organizations should not able to offering the scope of providers FEMA can.

Any federal funding would even be sluggish if Congress needed to approve support after every catastrophe, slightly than having FEMA already ready to reply. States can be on the mercy of congressional infighting.

Within the absence of a federal response and coordinating function, restoration can be uneven, with wealthier areas recovering sooner and poorer areas doubtless seeing extra extended hardships.

What does this imply?

Coordinating catastrophe response is advanced, the paperwork for federal help will be irritating, and the agency does draw criticism. Nonetheless, it additionally fills an necessary function.

Because the frequency of pure disasters continues to rise resulting from local weather change, ask your self: How ready is your state for a catastrophe, and will it get by with out federal support?