"As emergency managers we must continue to make sure that preparedness, and especially the preparedness of the public, is a top priority," Fugate said. "What we do now to increase the preparedness of the public, who are a vital member of the emergency response team, will go a long way in increasing our success in responding to and recovering from the next disaster."
IAEM-USA is the nation’s largest association of emergency management professionals with more than 4,000 members, including emergency managers at the state and local government levels, tribal nations, the military, colleges and universities, private business and the nonprofit sector.
Fugate concluded his remarks by emphasizing meeting the needs of disaster survivors. "None of this can be achieved by the federal government alone," he said. "It requires a large partnership including federal, tribal, state and local governments as well as the private sector, faith based groups, communities and the public."
So far this year, FEMA has responded to 24 major disasters, five emergencies and issued 24 fire management assistance grants.