FEMA Releases Guidance Packet in Wake of 2020 Hurricane Season

As hurricane season approaches, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced the release of their “COVID-19 Pandemic Operational Guidance for the 2020 Hurricane Season.” This guide will allow emergency managers and public health officials to stay prepared in the event of a natural disaster, while continuing to stay alert and responsive during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The packet can also benefit private sectors and non-government organizations to better understand the government’s efforts to stay prepared.

Compared to previous years, FEMA’s program delivery will be different this year due to the pandemic. However, there should not be any major changes regarding program eligibility, time frame for grant awards, or amount of assistance to be provided under the “Individual and Households Program.” Although the focus of the guidance packet is for hurricane season, it may still be useful throughout the COVID-19 pandemic without any notice of storm systems.

FEMA further states they will continue to operate through their locally executed, state managed, and federal incident response system. This will allow for better collaboration between FEMA and state, local, tribal, and territorial partners before hurricane season begins. With this shared understanding, disaster response and recovery efforts will be better executed and received by the nation.

For more information on FEMA’s 2020 pandemic operational guide during the hurricane season, please visit FEMA’s website.