Stafford Disaster Relief And Emergency Assistance Act
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act) is a United States federal law designed to bring an orderly and systemic means of federal natural disaster assistance for state and local governments in carrying out their responsibilities to aid citizens. Congress' intention was to encourage states and localities to develop comprehensive disaster preparedness plans, prepare for better intergovernmental coordination in the face of a disaster, encourage the use of insurance coverage, and provide Federal assistance programs for losses due to a disaster.
The Stafford Act is a 1988 amended version of the Disaster Relief Act of 1974. It created the system in place today by which a presidential disaster declaration of an emergency triggers financial and physical assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Act gives FEMA the responsibility for coordinating government-wide relief efforts. The Federal Response Plan implements includes the contributions of 28 federal agencies and non-governmental organizations, such as the American Red Cross. It is named for Sen. Robert Stafford (years in Senate 1971 – 1989), who helped pass the law.
Congress amended it by passing the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, and again in 2006 with the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act.
Read more about Stafford Disaster Relief And Emergency Assistance Act: Criticisms, Relevant Court Cases, Proposed Amendments
Famous quotes containing the words stafford, disaster, relief, emergency, assistance and/or act:
“a doe, a recent killing;
she had stiffened already, almost cold.
I dragged her off she was large in the belly.”
—William Stafford (1914–1941)
“Therefore it was surprising that, as we kept the newspapers from
Mother,
She died feeling responsible for a disaster unverified,
Murmuring, in her sleep as it seemed, the ancient slogan
Noblesse oblige.”
—Josephine Miles (1911–1985)
“Fashion required the suppression of all naturalness—’to walk upright, with unbending joints; to shake hands after the pump- handle formula; to look inexpressibly indifferent towards everybody and everything; and speak only in a mincing voice was to be a decorous member of society.’”
—For the State of Rhode Island, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“In this country, you never pull the emergency brake, even when there is an emergency. It is imperative that the trains run on schedule.”
—Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990)
“A composer is a guy who goes around forcing his will on unsuspecting air molecules, often with the assistance of unsuspecting musicians.”
—Frank Zappa (1940–1994)
“Surely no mere mortal who has at all gone down into himself will ever pretend that his slightest thought or act solely originates in his own defined identity.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)