Golda Markowitz- Works Cited

Topic: The government consists of many organizations that each contribute differently to emergency events. Each carries its own responsibility and has its own way in responding to disasters. One of the government’s main organizations, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has proven to play a major role in strengthening federal leadership in emergency management, particularly in efforts to avert disaster losses.


Works Cited

Gardner, David R. “The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Its Role in Historic Preservation.” APT Bulletin 35.1 (2004) : pp. 49-53. 30 April 2008 .

Like other federal agencies, FEMA has ten regional offices, each of which manages federal disaster activities for a region of the country.


Giuffrida, Louis O. “FEMA: Its Mission, Its Partners.” Public Administration Review: A Challenge for Public Administration 45 (1985) : pp. 2-2. 30 April 2008 .

FEMA provides guidance, leadership, and when appropriate- direct financial aid to communities planning for, responding to and recovering form major emergencies of all kinds.


May, Peter J. “FEMA’s Role in Emergency Management: Examining Recent Experience.” Public Administration Review: A Challenge for Public Administration 45 (1985) : pp. 40-48. 30 April 2008 .

In light of the many changes in policy and organization since the 1950’s, the creation of FEMA as a grand experiment involving a recasting of the federal role in emergency management and a new approach to fulfilling that role.


McLoughlin, David. “A Framework for Integrated Emergency Management.” Public Administration Review: A Challenge for Public Administration 45 (1985) : pp. 165-172. 30 April 2008 .

FEMA is ready to privies assistance when the demand exceeds the capacity of state and local resources to respond and recover.


Mushkatel, Alvin H. & Weschlet, Louis F. “Emergency Management and the Intergovernmental System.” Public Administration Review: A Challenge for Public Administration 45 (1985) : pp. 49-56. 30 April 2008 .

Several components of the FEMA organization and mission apparently are ill- suited to the challenge the agency faces within the context of the existing intergovernmental policy system.


Schneider, Saundra K. “FEMA, Federalism, Hugo, and Frisco.” Publius: The State of American Federalism 20.3 (1989-1990) : pp. 97-115. 30 April 2008 .

For disasters of this magnitude (a major earthquake in San Francisco Bay area), FEMA is the main federal government agency in charge of implementing relief efforts.


Settle, Allen K. “Financing Disaster Mitigation, Preparedeness, Response, and Recover.” Public Administration Review: A Challenge for Public Administration 45 (1985) : pp. 101-106. 30 April 2008 .


FEMA Statistics indicate that from April 1, 1974, to September 30, 1983, only 59 percent of requests by state governors for a presidential disaster declaration were approved.


Sylves, Richard T. “Review: Ferment at FEMA: Reforming Emergency Management.” Public Administration Review 54.3 (1994) : pp. 303-307. 30 April 2008 .

FEMA is in the national spotlight as a result of congressional scrutiny, and public criticism. Both the NAPA and the GAO were commissioned by Congress to critically investigate FEMA in light of its poor performance before, during, and after Hurricane Andrew in 1992.


Watkins, Stephanie. “Developing Statewide Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Expertise.” Journal of the American Institute for Conservation 39.1 (2000) : pp. 165-172. 30 April 2008 .

Founded in 1979, FEMA states that its mission is to “reduce loss of life and property and protect our nation’s critical infrastructure from all types of hazards through a comprehensive, risk- based, emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.


Waugh, William L, Jr. “Regionalizing Emergency Management: Counties as State and Local Government.” Public Administration Review 54.3 (1994) : pp. 253-258. 30 April 2008 .

GAO recommends improvements in the damage assessment process and in state and local capacities, as well as in the structure and function of FEMA.