Emergency Management

Emergency management coordinates preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation when disasters overwhelm local resources; at the federal level, FEMA was created to centralize disaster response and work with states, localities, and partners to protect communities.

Getting Help After a Disaster

If disaster damages your home or disrupts daily life, start by learning how to apply for FEMA disaster assistance and the Individuals and Households Program (IHP), including eligibility rules and required paperwork (what to prepare) and important application deadlines.

Types of Assistance

FEMA can provide housing assistance, personal property help, renter assistance, vehicle damage aid, medical and dental help, child care assistance, and funeral assistance.

How the System Works

Learn how federal declarations and the Stafford Act and presidential disaster declarations enable federal support, how assistance is approved and paid (payment timelines and payment methods)), and where to get in-person help at disaster recovery centers.