On April 1, 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed the executive order that created the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in order to coordinate the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters (Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), n.d). However, due to the 2005 hurricanes, the response of FEMA has demonstrated that the federal government is not meeting up to its expectations of its citizens. On Wednesday, October 19, 2005, Hurricane Wilma intensified into a Category 5 hurricane within the time frame of 24 hours (NSF, n.d). The hurricane produced sustained winds of over 173 miles per hour and …show more content…
The response phase includes: mobilizing, deploying, and providing assistance for citizens who are impacted by the disaster (FEMA, n.d). FEMA responded to Hurricane Wilma with resources and supplies to provide relief for the citizens that are impacted by the disaster. In the Stafford Act of 1974, it is stated that when there is an emergency declaration given, the financial and physical assistance are given by FEMA, to respond to an emergency to the states and local governments (FEMA, n.d). Additional resources that were given by FEMA and the Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT) are the U.S Coast Guard and the Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) teams to respond to Hurricane Wilma in the State of Florida (FEMA, n.d). The quickest phase in the emergency management cycle is the response phase, therefore; the actions that were taken by the local, state, and federal action were quickly taken to respond to Hurricane …show more content…
Recovery consists of disaster relief programs provided by the local, state and federal to help restore the communities and personal well being of citizens (Florida Disaster, n.d). The recovery phase in the emergency management cycle can either be short or long-term in recovering from a disaster. In Hurricane Wilma there were many short-term recoveries from the disaster; however, even as of 2010, many infrastructures and Florida’s Keys are still having an affect of the 2005 hurricanes. On the FEMA website it has been stated as of ten years later for Hurricane Wilma, “federal funding was made available to the state and eligible local governments for debris removal, emergency protective measures, and other public assistance” (FEMA, 2015). Mitigation on the other hand is efforts in reducing the risks and vulnerability before and after a disaster occur (Florida disaster, n.d). The federal government response to Hurricane Wilma in mitigating the affect from another hurricane if one were to occur is building sea walls into protecting the Florida’s shoreline and communities (FEMA,