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Federal Emergency Management Agency———135

hurricanes, etc.) to deliberate
attacks (terrorist bombings;
biological, chemical, nuclear,
or radiological epidemics).
FEMA’s 2,600 full-time emp-
loyees work at headquarters
in Washington, D.C., 10
regional offices, the Mt. Wea-
ther Emergency Assistance
Center in Berryville, Virginia,
and the FEMA training cen-
ter in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
There are also 5,000 stand-by
emergency reservists.
If a disaster event war-
rants, FEMA assumes the
responsibilities of the lead
federal agency for conse-
quence management. FEMA
works closely with the FBI
and other agencies on the
Federal Response Plan team,
as well as the American Red
Cross. FEMA also oversees
Urban Search and Rescue
Teams, each of which is com-
posed of 62 specialists from
four major functional ele-
ments—search, rescue, tech-
nical, and medicine.
FEMA provides a source
of funding in addition to the
communications infrastruc-
ture necessary for multiple-
agency recovery efforts. For
example, after the September
U.S. government advisory on identifying potential letter and package bombs 11, 2001, attacks on the
Source: Rewards for Justice, U.S. Department of State. World Trade Center in
New York City and the
Pentagon near Washington, D.C., the agency distrib-
FEDERAL EMERGENCY uted more than $285.5 million in individual assistance
MANAGEMENT AGENCY (for mortgage and rental payments, food stamps,
unemployment checks, or business grants) to 52,500
people affected by the disaster. Financial assistance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency from FEMA is not only given to individuals: for
(FEMA) is an all-hazard response agency established example, in August 2002 FEMA pledged $4.5 billion
by U.S. president Jimmy Carter’s executive order in in aid to help rebuild the infrastructure of lower
1979. FEMA has the mission of planning for and Manhattan.
responding to disasters of any type, ranging from Along with consequence management activities
natural catastrophes (floods, earthquakes, wildfires, FEMA trains state and local governments in domestic