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1 1 (January 2, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/govervy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FEMA: Increased Demand and Capacity Strains Introduction Disasters in the United States have become more frequent, severe, and expensive in recent years. Government agencies and scientific experts expect these trends to continue due to climate change and increased development and population in areas vulnerable to hazards. These factors have intensified demands on the resources, programs, and personnel of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)-the agency responsible for leading federal disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts and administering assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act, P.L. 93, 288, as amended). Consequences include attrition and staffing shortages, strained operational efforts, and insufficient disaster relief funds. As FEMA faces growing demand for its assistance and related challenges, Congress may consider the scope of FEMA's mission, the appropriate role of the federal government in emergency management, and how to shore up FEMA's workforce. Growing Demands on FEMA Stafford Act Declaration Trends The average number of Stafford Act major disaster declarations has increased from an average of 39 per fiscal year in the first decade after its enactment (FY1988-1997) to an average of 63 in the most recent ten fiscal years-an increase of 61%. That increase grows to approximately 150% when comparing to the first decade of FEMA's existence (FY1979-1988), which averaged 25 major disaster declarations per fiscal year (Figure 1). Figure I. Stafford Act Major Disasters Declared By Fiscal Year, Since Establishment of FEMA 100 Line= Prior Ten Year Annual Average so Sources: CRS analysis of OpenFEMA, Declarations Summaries, as of 10/01/2024, and FEMA, Disaster Relief Fund: Monthly Reports. Additionally, more counties experienced a greater number of declaration activity in the past 10 years than in the first decade of FEMA's existence (see Figure 2). Updated January 2, 2025 Figure 2. Number of Disaster Declarations by County Disaster Declarations by County 1979-1988 Nodata 1-2 3-4 57 Disaster Declarations by County 2015-2024 Nodata 1-2 3-4 5-7 8-10 E11-25 Source: CRS analysis of OpenFEMA, Declarations Summaries, as of 10/23/2024. Notes: Excludes declarations for the COVID-19 pandemic and approximately 1.5% of declarations that lack associated county FIPS code digits. In recent years, the number of declarations with Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) obligations over $1 billion has increased, driving an overall increase in DRF obligations (see Figure 3). Since 2020, annual DRF obligations have consistently exceeded nearly $40 billion-a level never reached prior to FY2020. Figure 3. DRF Obligations vs Disaster Declarations By Fiscal Year $30 00 $70 80 $60 $50 .0 go$40 : S40 $30 2G $20 2$1 a $0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2-23 202_4 No. of Major Disaster Detlafattorz - - M2nty RepIor t a os Sources: CRS analysis of OpenFEMA, Declarations Summaries, as of 10/01/2024, and FEMA, Disaster Relief Fund: Monthly Reports.

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