You may not be aware that the only way to buy flood insurance is through FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In fact, the Agency draws the lines for the Flood Plains and so, decides whether you need flood insurance.
Executive Order 12127
President Carter's 1979 executive order merged many of the separate disaster-related responsibilities into the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Among other agencies, FEMA absorbed: the Federal Insurance Administration, the National Fire Prevention and Control Administration, the National Weather Service Community Preparedness Program, the Federal Preparedness Agency of the General Services Administration and the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration activities from HUD. Civil defense responsibilities were also transferred to the new agency from the Defense Department's Defense Civil Preparedness Agency.
John Macy was named as FEMA's first director. Macy emphasized the similarities between natural hazards preparedness and the civil defense activities. FEMA began development of an Integrated Emergency Management System with an all-hazards approach that included "direction, control and warning systems which are common to the full range of emergencies from small isolated events to the ultimate emergency - war."
As we learned in 2005, the centralized bureaucracy is not the most efficient method of responding to the disasters of flooding. (It might have helped if the former Governor had allowed earlier response.)
Governor Jindal discusses possible "bipartisan" health care reform measures, here.
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