How Municipal Water Districts Can Work With FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is the U.S. government agency charged with coordinating disaster response at a scale that goes beyond the capacities of local or state governments. The agency provides on-the-ground recovery efforts in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal and local agencies and also provides state and local governments with expert advice, funding, and training.

In this interview with Municipal Water Leader, a FEMA spokesperson highlighted the planning resources that FEMA has prepared for local government entities and explained how municipalities and municipal water districts can best work with FEMA.

Municipal Water Leader: When a natural disaster strikes, what is the breakdown of responsibilities between federal, state, and local entities?

FEMA: Once a disaster is approved for federal assistance, response is state managed and locally executed with federal support, including funding and technical assistance.

Municipal Water Leader: How can municipalities and municipal water districts work best with FEMA?

FEMA: We encourage municipalities to initially coordinate with their local and state emergency management agencies. Those are the two entities they will be coordinating with before, during, and after most disasters. If it is apparent that a presidential disaster declaration may be necessary to assist in the recovery of the affected area, a state or tribal government should contact its FEMA regional office and request a joint Federal and State/Tribal Preliminary Damage Assessment. Local government representatives should be included, if possible. (For more information on the Disaster Declaration Process, please visit www.fema.gov/disaster-declaration-process.) If a presidential disaster declaration has been made, the state or tribe will set up public assistance applicants’ briefings and invite potential applicants.

Randy Conner is the commissioner of the Chicago Department of Water Management. For more information about the Department of Water Management, please visit www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/water.html.