Every county leader can imagine being in the shoes of local officials who responded to that disaster. On Sept. 30 — National Preparedness Day — we reflect on it. Many of us have been there, facing fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards and other calamities.
Every year, roughly one-third of U.S. counties receive a federal disaster declaration. Although each disaster is different, the urgency, the devastation and the long road to recovery are common threads.
The county role in disaster management is a broad one. County first responders provide critical care to residents in need. Counties operate shelters, provide food and fund hospitals. When the smoke clears and the waters calm, county governments clear debris and set about managing long-term rebuilding efforts.
This robust role is the reason counties were keen to provide input on the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act (H.R. 4669), known as the FEMA Act. This bipartisan bill provides long overdue reforms to streamline disaster recovery, increase transparency and make federal assistance more accessible to local communities. It includes several provisions championed by the National Association of Counties Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force:
- Public Assistance Program reform: Transitioning the Public Assistance Program from the traditional reimbursement process to a grant-based model would provide faster access to federal disaster funds, allowing counties to restore vital infrastructure more quickly.
- Establishing a universal disaster application: Streamlined access to federal aid would improve survivor outcomes by reducing confusion, duplication and delays in the application process.
- Creating a public assistance dashboard: Increased transparency in the Public Assistance Program process would allow counties to track project approvals, identify delays, and better manage expectations and timelines.
- Reforming disaster mitigation programs: Involving counties in state mitigation planning would enable counties to proactively address vulnerabilities before the next disaster strikes and better protect our residents.
To say that passage of this legislation is urgent is no exaggeration. Over the past two decades, disasters have increased in frequency, severity and cost, with the nation experiencing 27 separate billion-dollar disasters in 2024.
In recognition of National Preparedness Day, and on behalf of all county leaders and the residents we support, we urge Congress to do its part by passing the FEMA Act. We must evolve our collective approach to disaster resilience to provide for the safety, stability and well-being of our communities.
Harris County, Texas, Commissioner Adrian Garcia and Jefferson Parish, La., President Cynthia Lee Sheng are co-chairs of the National Association of Counties Intergovernmental Disaster Reform Task Force.
Governing’s opinion columns reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of Governing’s editors or management.
