| FEMA reports record amount of disaster aid distributed for 2004 Hurricane Season response
Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response and Director of FEMA, attributed the expenditures to 27 major disasters declared by President Bush in response to hurricane-related damage in 15 states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. According to FEMA data, the amount of funding obligated by FEMA in less than four months for Tropical Storms Bonnie, Gaston and Jeanne, and Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne surpassed the previous record total of $2.36 billion that has been expended for hurricane relief in 1998. FEMA figures also showed that the bulk of the funding, or more than $3.1 billion, was expended in response and recovery aid for Florida, where more than 1.1 million hurricane victims have registered for assistance since mid-August. The agency also reported that a total of 15,560 federal workers were engaged in response and recovery operations for the declared disasters, including more than 11,000 FEMA personnel and 1,900 disaster medical specialists. As part of the massive response effort in Florida and other hard hit states, 163 million pounds of ice, 10.8 million gallons of water, 14 million meals-ready-to-eat and 151,000 rolls of plastic roofing material were delivered to help meet immediate emergency needs. To expedite aid to storm victims, FEMA operated its toll-free registration phone lines 24-hours a day in Florida and the other declared states and implemented an online registration service. In addition, the agency opened multiple fixed and mobile disaster recovery centres to assist applicants.
•Date:
30th Nov 2004 • Region: N.America •Type:
Article •Topic: DR
general |
