In 2021, more than 688 Americans lost their lives to natural disasters -more than double the number of fatalities from 2020. There were almost two dozen separate disasters; each, causing at least $1 billion in damage.

In a telling comparison, the numbers for 2021 alone are almost equal to those from the entire decade of the 1980s.

To respond to the increasing frequency and evolving potency of natural disasters, the Federal Emergency Management Agency relies on three key steps.

“The first thing is understanding the threats and hazards that impact the community.” That’s job one, said MaryAnn Tierney, regional administrator for FEMA Region 3, in an interview. Region 3 covers Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Nothing can be done, Tierney suggested, “Until you know what could happen and know when it is happening”.

The private sector plays a key role in the ascertainment of what’s taking place on the ground. Whether it’s communications infrastructure and technology, the media or a variety of businesses in a given area, FEMA relies on the private sector to understand damage assessments and needs of its customers.

Second on the list is constant communication and training with state, local, tribal and territorial partners.

“Positioning people before events to plan, train and exercise are important”, said Tierney, “so we’re aware of what everybody’s plan is, what their roles and responsibilities are and what their requirements will be. You do that through planning, through the training and then practicing what you planned and trained for in the exercise”.

The third critical element, Tierney said, is “pro-actively and aggressively responding to whatever the event its.” She said that includes “anticipating a hazard is coming, whether it’s a storm or wildfire, where you can see the conditions are right for that type of event –and then working with your partners to stage resources and teams ahead of time so that you can be ready when you are called upon.”

Understanding the unique nature of disasters

In this era of evolving natural disasters, FEMA’s leadership believes it is more important than ever, for disaster response organizations at the federal, state, and local levels to recognize that each community they serve is unique and needs a response tailored to their specific needs.

“It’s not just you knowing there’s rolling hills or it has 200,000 people, but really understanding the nuances of each community, Tierney said.

This, she said, is where the role of equity in delivering emergency response services comes in.

“There have been numerous studies and you can see it play out in actual events, where many people are disproportionately impacted by disasters. People on the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency; and people who live in underserved and marginalized communities, are examples of folks who are often disproportionately impacted in disasters.”

Tierney said it’s important at every level of government, “for people to understand their specific community demographics and think about how we can support people who will need help the most after an event.”

The public, she said, plays a key role by informing FEMA of what they need and expect in a disaster.

Closing the “seams” during disasters

When it comes to daily planning and response to disasters, Tierney said emergency responders must think about three key elements: consequences, compressing time and closing seams. 

First on the list, she said is, “whether it’s people displaced by wildfires or homes that are no longer habitable because of a flood or damage from a tornado, there are always consequences”.

Those consequences, according to Tierney, must be addressed by focusing on the second element –compressing time “so that you can help people faster and help communities recover more quickly”.

Finally, it’s important to close the seams between responding organizations, including those from federal, state, and local governments and nonprofit organizations that support disaster survivors and communities.

“All of the seams between these organizations need to close so that things don’t fall through the cracks,” Tierney said.

The importance of disaster communications contingencies 

As we become a more connected society, communications technology has become increasingly important for people in all walks of life, especially during disasters.

But Tierney said it’s important to remember that “our communications networks are also vulnerable in disasters. They rely on power and connectivity. If we lose that in an emergency, you have to have a secondary or backup plan for communication -not just government, but the private sector and the public writ-large need to have a plan for that.”

Tierney said. “A part of our contingency planning is thinking about how, if we don’t have access to our normal technology and communication services, we still deliver our mission.”

She reminds us that technology is an enabler, and if we lose access to our “fancy crisis management software”, we should always remember that “basic human interaction” is the ultimate backup communications system.

Listen below for more details about FEMA’s disaster response capabilities.

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