Emergency-Related Resources for Legislators and Legislative Staff
(updated September 23, 2005)
Emergency Management Assistance Compact - EMAC, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, is a congressionally ratified organization that provides form and structure to interstate mutual aid. Through EMAC, a disaster impacted state can request and receive assistance from other member states quickly and efficiently, resolving two key issues upfront: liability and reimbursement.
Medicaid & Medicare - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has acted to assure that the Medicare, Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Programs will flex to accommodate the emergency health care needs of beneficiaries and medical providers in the Hurricane Katrina devastated states.
Centers for Disease Control Health Information - The CDC provides public health tips to all those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Mental Health Services - As hurricane victims cope with the tragic events, the issue of mental health becomes more important. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Mental Health Services Administration provides resources to help mental health providers during times of disaster.
USDA Disaster Assistance Food Distribution Programs - Agencies of USDA help in many ways in a disaster, but perhaps the most immediate is to ensure that people have enough to eat. There are many concerns following a storm, earthquake, civil disturbance, flood or other disaster, but none is more important than providing food in areas where people may find themselves suddenly, and often critically, in need.
Emergency Feeding of School Children - The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a policy memorandum reducing barriers to feeding school children in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina, and in areas where there are individuals displaced by the disaster. This policy memorandum eases National School Lunch program requirements that can't be met in the face of this disaster including meal components, record keeping, enrollment and location requirements.
FEMA Disaster Assistance Process for Individuals - The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Individual and Households Program provides money and services to people in the disaster area when losses are not covered by insurance and property has been damaged or destroyed.
U.S. Department of Energy Hurrican Katrina Situation Reports - As the lead federal agency responsible for energy assurance, DOE's Office of Electricity, Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) worked with FEMA, State and local governments, and the energy sector to prepare for and respond to Hurricane Katrina. Situation Reports from DOE’s emergency response are below.
U.S. Energy Information Administration Retail Gasoline Prices - The EIA compiles weekly averages of retail gasoline prices for the entire United States on a regional and state-by-state basis.
Strategic Petroleum Reserves - The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is the largest stockpile of government-owned emergency crude oil in the world. Established in the aftermath of the 1973-74 oil embargo, the SPR provides the President with a powerful response option should a disruption in commercial oil supplies threaten the U.S. economy. It also allows the United States to meet part of its International Energy Agency obligation to maintain emergency oil stocks, and it provides a national defense fuel reserve.
NCSL's Health Resources for Recovery Page - In the wake of Hurricane Katrina state and local governments are faced with a variety of public and private health system challenges. Services in the affected areas are non-existent in some cases or crippled in their ability to meet community needs. The featured links will emphasize special assistance available for affected communities and hurricane victims.
Price Gouging Statutes - Many states have laws providing for the prosecution of businesses and individuals who are convicted of artificially inflating prices so as to take advantage of a consumer's desperate situation.
Information Technology Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity - NCSL's National Association of Legislative Information Technology staff section has held several discussions on the issue of replacing critical IT infrastructure in the case of emergency. This link provides handouts and pertinent information from those discussions.
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