Milton is set to become the second hurricane to strike Florida in two weeks, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency is once again positioning supplies and personnel where they’re needed and coordinating with state and local officials
Hurricane Milton is set to slam Florida on Wednesday evening — the second hurricane to strike in two weeks — and the federal agency tasked with responding to disasters is once again positioning supplies and personnel where they’re needed and coordinating with state and local officials.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has faced rampant disinformation about its response to Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida on Sept. 26 before heading north and leaving a trail of destruction across six states.
Critics allege the agency isn’t doing enough to help survivors, while false rumors circulating ahead of the presidential election include claims that people taking federal relief money could see their land seized or that FEMA is halting trucks full of supplies.
Meanwhile, there’s also just a lot of confusion about what the agency does and doesn’t do when disaster strikes.
Now, with Milton set to bring a life-threatening storm surge to the Tampa Bay region, many people are wondering whether they should see FEMA workers on the ground right away and what impact the agency is having if they don’t.
Here’s a closer look at what the agency does during emergencies:
State or tribal governments can reach out to ask for federal assistance. But the disaster has to exceed their ability to respond, meaning that not all disasters end up getting federal help. The president approves disaster declarations.
Once an emergency is declared — like in the case of Milton and Helene — that can unleash various types of aid from FEMA. Much of what FEMA does is give out money in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and for years to come.
