Digital Modernization, Intelligence, Homeland Security 3 MIN Read
May 24th, 2024
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With the number and severity of disasters growing each year, people continue to turn to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for help on what is often their very worst day.
But when disaster survivors look to FEMA for help, hard-to-navigate processes or delays in assistance are the last things they need.
In late March, FEMA formally implemented several changes to its Individual Assistance program that significantly advanced the way FEMA helps survivors recover from a disaster. There are three main thrusts to these reforms: Establishing New Benefits; Cutting Red Tape and Expanding Eligibility; and Simplifying the Application Process.
These are not small changes. All three reforms represent transformational shifts in how FEMA and the Federal government assist people recovering from the impacts of a disaster efficiently, effectively, timely, and with survivor’s needs always top of mind. These reforms specifically support the ability of underserved communities and small businesses – who are often disproportionately impacted by disasters – get back on their feet. Some key changes include:
Individual Assistance policy and benefits updates are one key pillar in improving outcomes for survivors. A related pillar is the plethora of technology modernization opportunities present to drive FEMA’s Individual Assistance mission into the future. Opportunities exist to leverage the rapid innovations presented by artificial intelligence as well as modern, cloud-based infrastructures to enable data management and analysis capabilities at lightning speed. FEMA can leverage the power of technology to advance mission outcomes while balancing the needs of survivors to have direct interaction with a human. Potential technology-driven opportunities may include:
FEMA’s reforms to the Individual Assistance program have the potential to be some of the most impactful changes for disaster survivors in decades. With the addition of new capabilities offered by technology, FEMA will be well positioned to help meet the ever-increasing survivor needs into the future.