US hurricane hotspots brace for busy year as FEMA cash dries up
The latest projections by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggest its disaster relief fund - used to respond to major disasters - is forecast to run a deficit by September, as it had been on track to do.
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When the fund approached depletion last year, FEMA had to move to an "immediate needs" designation – essentially delaying non-emergency projects that could bolster preparation for disasters in the future – before Congress authorised additional money.
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In hurricane-prone Florida, the Miami Foundation set up a revolving resilience fund after the Surfside apartment collapse in 2021. The fund initially started with about $5 million and has since swelled to $8 million.
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"And when you have the money and the time to prepare, you are able to just help out in a different way – you're able to help people, you're able to buy supplies when they are, on some level, cheaper than they are if the storm already hits and then the surge pricing goes up."