VLG Bulletin 2006-4-9
April 2006
KEY PROGRAM DIRECTORATES IN THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY 1979-2003 (Ranked by Longevity)
1. Federal Insurance Administration- 1979-2003
2. United States Fire Administration- 1984-2003
3. National Preparedness Directorate- 1981-1993
4. State and Local Preparedness and Support-1981-1993
5. Response and Recovery Directorate 1993-2003
6. Preparedness, Training, Exercises Directorate- 1993-2001
7. Mitigation Directorate- 1993-2001
8. Information Technology Services Directorate- 1994-2003
9. Emergency Operations Directorate-1981-1986
10. Disaster Response and Recovery Directorate-1979-1981
11. Plans and Preparedness Directorate- 1979-1981
12. Mitigation and Research Directorate- 1979-1981
13. United States Fire Administration- 1979-81
14. Training and Fire Directorate- 1981-83
15. Insurance and Mitigation Directorate- 2001-2003
16. Mitigation Office- 2003-2005 as part of EP&R Directorate (DHS)
17. Response Office- 2003-2005 as part of EP&R Directorate (DHS)
18. Recovery Office –2003-2005 as part of EP&R Directorate (DHS)
19. Preparedness Office- 2003-2005 as part of EP&R Directorate (DHS)
20. Preparedness Directorate (DHS)- 2006-
21. Federal Emergency Management Directorate (DHS)-
2006
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) existed as an Independent Agency (created by Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978) with its Director reporting directly to the President from April 1, 1979 to March 1, 2003, at which time it was incorporated into the Department of Homeland Security created by Public Law 107-296.
There was no statutory organization chart for FEMA throughout its existence as an independent agency. The Directors of FEMA had complete authority to create and abolish organizational units in FEMA. Utilizing this authority, the various Directors created or reorganized the programmatic Directorates as shown above. The most significant reorganizations occurred in (1) September 1981- when the programs, functions, and activities authorized by the Federal Civil Defense Act, 81st Congress Law 920 were moved from the Plans and Preparedness Directorate (disestablished) to the State and Local Programs Support Directorate (established); and (2) November 1993- when an independent Mitigation Directorate was established. The Federal Civil Defense Act was in force from 1950-1994 but significant authority lapsed in 1974. Of the components in predecessor agencies that became part of FEMA, the Federal Civil Defense Agency (DoD) was the largest component by FTE (900). Language similar to portions of the Federal Civil Defense Act were incorporated into the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, Public Law 100-107 (November 1988) by Public Law 103-337 (November 1994). Efforts to retain FEMA as an independent agency reporting to the President occurred both in Committee and the floor of the United States House of Representative but were defeated. In the United States Senate efforts to do the same were defeated in Committee and the issue was never considered on the floor of the Senate. Of course the title of FEMA was resurrected by PKEMA in October 2006 effective March 31, 2007.
