I saw the Hurricane Helene response up close. This is how disaster relief actually works.

Source: Vox (November 2024)

Significance: An article that discusses the roles of FEMA and community efforts in rollout of disaster relief in the wake of Hurricane Helene; how disaster response works; and how to respond better to the next disaster.

Description: Recovery and relief efforts in response to natural disasters should be viewed as a “team sport,” as mentioned in this article from Vox. Following Hurricane Helene that swept across Southeastern US in late September, volunteers served as the “bedrock of disaster response.” The misconception is that FEMA is responsible for all relief and recovery efforts, but the article emphasizes that FEMA plays a small role in these efforts and that recovery and relief efforts depend on support from local and state governments, the federal government, and the private sector e.g. power, water, and communications companies, private health care facilities. The article stresses that in any emergency situation, those affected by the disaster are the “true first responder[s] until the official first responder arrives,” so to prepare for future emergencies, everyone should be trained for the “first five to six minutes of any emergency situation in your household or out in public” such as knowing CPR.