FEMA and EMINT
In the United States, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has many roles, including coordinating Emergency Management Intelligence (EMINT) across all the levels of government, all the time.
If you only think of FEMA as the holder of federal dollars for disaster recovery, you are missing a ton of missions they do both during disasters (gray skies) and all the time in steady-state (blue skies). As we know EMINT is needed all the time, and for more than just response operations.
FEMA sponsors the training and maintains (yes, that means funding) the Urban Search and Rescue Teams (USAR) across the country. The total federal funding for all 28 task forces for FY2025 was approximately $40.3 million. You can learn more about the funding EMINT here.
To put this cost in context to the U.S. military costs, a single F-15 fighter jet runs about $80 million to replace, using 2025 numbers.
FEMA is the repository of federal disaster doctrine, policies, and procedures - all of which the states, local governments, territories, and tribal nations (SLTTs) use as guidance - and in many cases are obligated to follow to receive federal funding - to maintain national standards and consistency. This includes the adherence to federal laws and regulations which SLTTs must do, such as compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
FEMA also coordinates between other federal entities and the SLTTs, both in blue and gray skies.
