Emergency Management
Did National Weather Service Cuts Affect the Response to the Texas Floods?
Over the Fourth of July weekend in 2025, a catastrophic flood tore through the Texas Hill Country, leaving an indelible scar on Kerr County. In the…
Natural Disasters and Hazards
Natural disasters and hazards are extreme events in nature, such as storms, floods, fires, droughts, and earthquakes, that can harm people and property. This area covers how these events are forecast, how communities prepare, and how government responds and helps people recover. Local, state, and federal agencies each take on a part of that work.
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October 19last updated
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Latest in Natural Disasters and Hazards
Disaster Response
When Disaster Strikes: How America’s Three-Tier Response System Works
When a tornado rips through Oklahoma or floodwaters surge through Texas hill country, no single government agency takes charge. America's disaster response operates as a complex…
Emergency Management
Did FEMA Cuts Affect the Response to the Texas Floods?
Flash floods in central Texas on July 4, 2025, were reported to have killed at least 135 people. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, offered…
Emergency Preparedness
Why Local Governments Can Underinvest in Disaster Prevention
For every $1 invested by federal mitigation grant programs, society is expected to save $6 due to reduced future losses, based on a 2019 study cited…
Topics in Natural Disasters and Hazards
Emergency help
Disaster Response covers how local, state, and federal governments work together when an emergency strikes.
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Understanding the Winter Storm Severity Classification System
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Steps to Becoming a Certified Weather Spotter
Weather spotter training connects volunteers with the National Weather Service. Local enrollment, reporting instructions and safety shape how to participate.
Sign Up to Receive Severe Weather Alerts
This guide explains how to sign up for weather alerts, which systems work best for different situations, and how to make sure you never…