On January 17th 1994, at 4:31am, a magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, killing more than 60, injuring more than 9,000, and causing widespread damage (Taylor, 2014). With the vast amount of damage, loss of life, and injuries it is easy to understand how the local and state responders would have quickly been overwhelmed in their response measures. This is the exact sort of emergency that the Stafford Act was developed for. According to (Hunter, 2009), “its stated goal is to provide an orderly and continuing means of assistance by the Federal Government to State and local governments in carrying out their responsibilities to alleviate suffering and damage which may result from such disasters” (pg.
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The effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state.
2. Confirm that the States emergency plan has been activated.
3. Which State resources are being committed to the disaster?
4. Estimate the amount and severity of damage and of the amount and type of Federal assistance is needed” (pg. 192). Once submitted by the Governor, and approved by the President, FEMA can legally step in and begin providing assistance. The assistance available in a declared major disaster range from unemployment benefits to assistance to public service agencies. Legally, the key is the request being submitted and approved, although as you will see, this was not actually the case in the Northridge quake. According to Taylor (2014), FEMA activated their Region EOC at 0530, and were providing emergency support by 0600. The Governor of California declared an emergency at 0905 (Order W-95-4), and the President of the United States declared a major disaster DR-1008 (FEMA, 2015)at 1408. Consequently, none of what we know in the legal process of requesting and declaring a “major disaster” were followed in the Northridge quake. I suppose one could argue that any action that precedes the Presidents
The effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state.
2. Confirm that the States emergency plan has been activated.
3. Which State resources are being committed to the disaster?
4. Estimate the amount and severity of damage and of the amount and type of Federal assistance is needed” (pg. 192). Once submitted by the Governor, and approved by the President, FEMA can legally step in and begin providing assistance. The assistance available in a declared major disaster range from unemployment benefits to assistance to public service agencies. Legally, the key is the request being submitted and approved, although as you will see, this was not actually the case in the Northridge quake. According to Taylor (2014), FEMA activated their Region EOC at 0530, and were providing emergency support by 0600. The Governor of California declared an emergency at 0905 (Order W-95-4), and the President of the United States declared a major disaster DR-1008 (FEMA, 2015)at 1408. Consequently, none of what we know in the legal process of requesting and declaring a “major disaster” were followed in the Northridge quake. I suppose one could argue that any action that precedes the Presidents