WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is tasked with helping states and communities hit by disasters like Hurricane Helene.
With Helene striking during an election year homestretch, the agency has been criticized by some residents and politicians, such as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has questioned its response and spread false information that its funding goes to migrants or foreign wars.
The Biden administration has defended FEMA’s work, saying it has the money it needs to help communities now.
President Joe Biden does say the agency will need more money in the future. Climate change makes storms such as hurricanes more intense.
There are many misconceptions about FEMA’s role in disaster recovery, what it does and does not pay for, and what residents in hurricane-affected areas can expect.
Here’s a closer look:
What does FEMA do and where does it get its money?
FEMA has an operating budget and a disaster fund. The fund is replenished each year by Congress and is used to pay for recovery from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and other disasters. FEMA also pays for reconstruction after past disasters and for projects designed to protect communities from future disasters.
“This is a bit like the emergency bill for the country,” said Samantha L. Montano, an assistant professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Congress recently replenished the fund with $20 billion – the same amount FEMA received last year. About $8 billion of that is set aside for recovery from past storms and mitigation projects.
The federal government does not help with every disaster; the disaster must generally be beyond the capacity of a community or state. In that case, the governor or tribal authority asks the president for an emergency declaration.
Once declared, FEMA assistance varies widely. Public assistance – much of which it pays for – is aimed at reimbursing governments for removing rubble or rebuilding roads, public buildings and more.
FEMA also has individual assistance designed to help residents. This can range from one-off payments for emergencies to a trailer for someone who has lost their home.
When warnings are issued – such as with hurricanes – FEMA coordinates with state and local governments on what they need and can pre-position supplies like tarp or water in areas likely to be hardest hit. FEMA also has search and rescue teams.
But experts emphasize that the federal agency is not responsible for the entire process.
“Everyone thinks FEMA will come in right after the disaster and manage the whole disaster. And that’s just not the case,” said Brock Long, who served as FEMA administrator from 2017 to 2019.
Does FEMA have enough money to respond to Hurricane Helene?
Trump accused FEMA of spending all its money on helping immigrants in the country illegally, while other critics say the administration is spending too much on foreign funding for Israel or Ukraine.
“FEMA absolutely has enough money right now for Helene’s response,” said Keith Turi, acting director of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, pointing to the $20 billion from Congress.
FEMA called Trump’s allegations “completely false.”
The agency administers the Shelter and Services Program, which provides money to reimburse cities or organizations for immigration-related expenses. But that comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress’ Customs and Border Protection. FEMA is distributing the money, but it is not coming from the disaster fund.
Congress also separately funds foreign military assistance.
However, there are long-term funding issues for FEMA.
Turi said the agency was already in the process of submitting a so-called “supplemental” funding request to Congress before Helene struck. In the wake of the storm, it’s clear they will need even more money, he said.
Both Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who oversees FEMA, and Biden have sounded alarms about the need for more money in the future.
Speaking from a Georgia pecan farm destroyed by Helene, Biden said the additional funding couldn’t wait: “People need help now.”
FEMA looking for additional funding is not uncommon. Long said he had to go back to Congress for more money three times during his time in office.
A 2022 Congressional Budget Office report states that most of the money going into the disaster relief fund actually comes from these additional requests. The additional money needed varies depending on the disaster, but the report noted that “a small number of those disasters account for a disproportionate share of total expenditures.”
What happens if the disaster fund is almost empty?
The disaster relief fund sometimes runs out in late summer before Congress passes a new budget. When that happens, FEMA switches to what’s called “immediate needs funding.” That means the agency will stop paying out for past disasters and save its money for life-saving missions during new disasters.
When the disaster fund is replenished – as happened last week – the money will flow back into longer-term projects.
“Frankly, there’s still a lot of work to be done to streamline and rethink, ‘How can a disaster relief fund … be set up in a way where the FEMA administrator doesn’t have to continually ask for additional funding?’ Long said.
Will FEMA give me enough to rebuild?
No. It’s important to know not only what FEMA does, but also what it doesn’t do, especially for individuals.
One claim going around after Helene is that disaster survivors only get $750 from FEMA. That figure refers to the assistance the agency can give someone in an affected area for what he or she needs immediately, such as clothing or food, Turi said.
From there, the agency can provide other items, such as money for a storage unit, medical bills, or rental assistance, depending on the situation.
For homeowners, the first line of defense is always insurance. Those who don’t have enough insurance or don’t have enough insurance can turn to FEMA, but the maximum amount someone can get for rebuilding is $42,500. That’s a far cry from what is needed to repair serious damage or completely rebuild.
“This is one of the big problems that FEMA has in terms of how the public understands their role and responsibility,” said Montano, the professor. “FEMA doesn’t make anyone healthy after a disaster strikes. They’re not going to give you enough money to fully restore your life.
