Federal Emergency Management Agency

Established in 1979, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for the coordination of civil emergency planning as well as the coordination of federal disaster relief. FEMA is responsible for responding to floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. The federal response to Hurrican Hugo and the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 generated intense criticism. Hurrican Andrew, which leveled much of south Florida in 1992, raised further doubts as to whether FEMA was capable of responding to disasters. In 1993 FEMAs new director refocused the agency on meeting its mission and aligning its activities to better service the public.

Since FEMA issued its mission statement in April 1993, it has been reexamining its approach to limiting death and property loss from disasters. Traditionally, FEMA had concentrated its efforts on postdisaster assistance. But after taking a hard look at its performance, FEMA concluded that it could better fulfill its mission by addressing the range of activities available before and during, as well as after, diasters.

As part of its first agency-wide strategic planning effort, FEMA comprehensively reviewed its programs and structures and initiated a major reorganization in November 1993. FEMA concluded that all emergencies share certain common traits, pose some common demands, and ought to be approached functionally. FEMAs new, all-hazard mission takes a sequential approach to managing disasters: mitigation of the damage, preparation, response, and recovery.

Note that FEMA now focuses its disaster planning and response processes on steps that need to be taken not just during and after the event but in advance. The build preparedness, FEMA now seeks to form partnerships with other federal, state, and local organizations. For example, the agency works with local governments and the building industry to strengthen building codes so that structures will be better able to withstand disasters. It has also launched an effort to increase the number of flood insurance policyholders something that had not been a traditional focus of the agency but is now understood as being critical to helping individuals recover from disasters. In sum, by more closely aligning its activities, processes, and resources with its mission, FEMA appears today to be better positioned to accomplish that mission.

Case Questions

What aspects of the strategic management process are illustrated in these cases?

How would you apply the lessons of each to a hospital, a university, and a city government?