The Federal Emergency Management Agency is best known for its quick responses—think blue tarps and temporary trailers—to horrific natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and, more recently, Hurricane Beryl.
But given the increasing frequency of climate-related issues, including storms and flooding, that are impacting wider portions of the United States every day, FEMA is changing its approach from being called to action once a catastrophe is already underway to being more proactive in mitigating disasters before they start.
On Tuesday, Victoria Salinas, a senior official performing the duties of FEMA’s deputy administrator for resilience, told attendees of a Climate Week event in New York that government leaders have made it clear that a new approach is needed.
“Last year alone, we had an emergency declaration every three days in this country,” Salinas said. “We’re living through this time where the urgency has never been [greater].”