Provides federal assistance to supplement local, state, and nonprofit capacity in the event of a major disaster. Many types of federal aid are available without a presidential declaration. Others can visit only after the President makes a statement at the Governor’s request (Drakes et al., 2021). To coordinate the federal government’s response to a hazard or disaster, FEMA employs the Federal Response Plan (FRP). The FRP describes the federal government’s procedures for gathering resources and conducting actions to support local and state response activities. A formal disaster declaration is issued when the president decides that a state needs additional federal assistance. The statement will be communicated to the governor, local congressional representatives, affected federal agencies and departments, and the media. Whenever the President designates a catastrophic disaster, FEMA creates a contract known as the FEMA State Agreement (Kreiser et al., 2018). The duration of the event (or disaster), the form of assistance provided, the geographic areas eligible, the agreed cost-sharing terms, and other terms and circumstances are incorporated into this agreement. continue…