FEMA Strengthens Preparedness Through Agreement With Association of American State Geologists
New Cooperation to Match FEMA Programs with AASG Expertise
Release Date: September 9, 2002
Release Number: HQ-02-140
Washington, DC -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today took a significant step to strengthen its preparedness and hazard reduction programs by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Association of American State Geologists (AASG). The MOU will match FEMA's responsibility to prepare for and reduce the risk of potential hazards with the AASG's expertise in identifying those hazards.
"The most critical element in reducing risk is knowing where the risk lies," said Anthony S. Lowe, Assistant Director of FEMA for Federal Insurance and Mitigation. "FEMA's increased cooperation with the Association of American State Geologists will strengthen our ability to identify hazards and their potential risks and better target our prevention programs."
The FEMA-AASG MOU includes the following areas as initial targets for collaboration:
- The National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP), especially its hazard identification and risk assessment components.
- FEMA's Hazards US (HAZUS) multi-hazard loss estimation methodology.
- National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP) Cooperating Technical Partners project.
- FEMA's Multi-hazard Mapping initiative.
- NFIP's Map Modernization efforts, including the Map Modernization Coalition.
- The National Dam Safety Program.
- AASG's geologic hazard and mapping knowledge and consultation capabilities.
- AASG's abilities to collect and disseminate data and information to industries, organizations, and the public.
The Association of American State Geologists consists of the state geologists from all the U.S. states and Puerto Rico. Each state geologist serves as the basic scientific information source for their State government's executive, legislative, and judicial branches, and the public at large.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an independent federal agency with responsibility for coordinating the federal government's disaster response and recovery efforts, as well as preparedness, mitigation and education and training of emergency personnel.
Last Modified: Friday, 25-Jul-2003 09:52:24