The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The primary purpose of FEMA is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States that overwhelms the resources of local and state authorities.

Earthquakes, floods, fires, oil spills, and acts of terrorism may qualify for assistance. The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the President of the United States that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster.

FEMA also works to ensure that affordable flood insurance is available to homeowners in flood plains, through the National Flood Insurance Program, and also works to enforce no build-zones in known flood plains.

The website for FEMA is FEMA.gov.

Earthquake Insurance

California Earthquake Authority

Glossary of Earthquake and Landslide Terms

Post Earthquake Responses to Severe Earthquakes

Flood Risks and Insurance