6/16/25 – Not many people understand the value of education and preservation as a flood-mitigation strategies. Leaving land near waterways in its natural state costs a tiny fraction of building giant detention basins after people flood. Plus the natural land provides recreation for people and habitat for wildlife.
The people who built communities like Kingwood and the Woodlands understood that. That’s why we have 300-foot-wide greenbelts along streams like Bens Branch. It’s also why we have giant natural areas like East End Park and the Creekwood Nature Center. They draw an exceptional amount of wildlife to one of the largest cities in America.
But passing that learning on to others requires education.
Connecting with Nature Through Photography
Ansel Adams once said, “If you want to preserve nature, inspire people with its beauty.” I’d take that a step further and add “…while they are young.”
Education and preservation are both crucial flood-mitigation strategies.
So, this morning, I gave a talk about bird photography to a class of young, aspiring photographers at the Creativity Shell in Kingwood.
Years ago before retirement, I built the building that now houses the Creativity Shell. It won national architectural awards for the way it integrated nature with business. I took many of the photos below on the property near Kingwood Park High School. The rest were taken in the surrounding area.
The photos underscore how preservation can bring beauty, contentment, excitement and joy to people who otherwise inhabit a densely populated urban environment. They help people see the subjects, not just as other species, but as individuals struggling to survive, thrive, and raise young of their own.
Photos of Area Wildlife
Two great egrets mirror each other as they preen their feathers.Painted bunting munches on tall-grass seed outside the front door of the Creativity ShellTwo proud parents watch the first of their chicks hatch out of its egg.Mallard on Lake HoustonA gathering of roseate spoonbills. The shape of their long bills lets them efficiently sift through muddy water in swampy areas where they can’t see food clearly. Mating display of great egret.Roseate spoonbill returning to nest.Great egret tilts its wings to slow down before landing on its nest.One species attempts to raid the nest of another and triggers a war.Another display of the great egret. The long, lacy plumes (aigrettes) are raised and displayed during courtship.One roseate spoonbill returns to the nest which the other was guarding.Red-tailed hawk was feasting on a possum outside Creativity ShellBig sticks like these are used to form the foundation of nests that will hold three to four chicks as they grow to adolescence.The vision of a hawk is significantly sharper than humans’. Some estimates suggest they have eight times more resolution. This lets them spot prey up to a mile away in some cases. Roseate spoonbill coming in for a landing.
And for something completely different…
Fawn born on the lawn of the Creativity Shell near the front door.
About the Creativity Shell
The Creativity Shell took over a building I constructed in the early 2000s for my business – Rehak Creative Services. The 20,000 SF facility is divided up into multiple open spaces designed to encourage interaction, sharing and creativity. Virtually every space in the building has a view of nature outside from at least three different angles.
Shelancia Daniel, M.Ed. and executive director, has turned it into a space for encouraging creativity among students of all ages. Offerings include classes/workshops for sewing, textile arts, fiber arts, art, drawing, painting, pottery, photography, media, cooking, culinary arts, knitting, S.T.R.E.A.M. (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, math/media), and so much more.
More than 80 summer-camp students and teachers gathered outside the Creative Shell for a group photo this morning.
The Creativity Shell operates year round. It is a nonprofit organization on a mission to educate and inspire the next generation of makers. It was a privilege and a pleasure to see the light in their young eyes.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/16/25
2848 days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Slide6.jpeg?fit=1100%2C825&ssl=18251100adminadmin2025-06-16 15:39:412025-06-16 15:48:07In Praise of Education, Preservation as Flood-Mitigation Strategies
6/14/25 – In the NorthPark Drive expansion project last week, the traffic switch originally scheduled for 6/6 finally happened on 6/10. Since then, demolition of the old westbound lanes on Northpark between Loop 494 and US59 has begun.
In other Northpark news, contractors are laying rebar in preparation for a concrete pour between Public Storage and Quick Quack Car Wash.
And after an engineering review, Ralph De Leon, the Northpark project manager, says 100% of the water in the Enclave Detention Basin will go south toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and that it will not overflow into Northpark.
Finally, CenterPoint has removed an electrical pole that was in the way of boring underneath the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. Contractors have finished the receiving pit west of the tracks and have started boring for the second pipe that will go under the tracks. However, it appears there may be some utility conflicts in the receiving pit west of the tracks.
I took all the pictures below on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Traffic Switch and Old Lane Demolition
The shot below shows how traffic was diverted from the old westbound lanes in the middle of the frame.
Looking E from in front of Exxon Station near US59. Note traffic swerving to left of the area where heavy equipment is perforating the old westbound lanes in preparation for their removal.
This close shot shows the actual perforations made by what looks like a hydraulic hammer (or giant punch) on the arm of an excavator.
Perforation of old concrete in preparation for removal.
After the old concrete is removed, new culverts will be placed underneath where it was. Then contractors will pour new concrete.
As you can see below, it looks like the perforation stretches halfway from Loop 494 to US59 as of Saturday 6/14/25. LHRA hopes to finish that work this coming week.
Looking East from over US59.
Getting Ready for Next Concrete Pour
Contractors have also finished placing rebar in new westbound lanes between the Quick Quack Car Wash and Public Storage.
Looking E toward Quick Quack from the Dunkin’ parking lot.Looking W from Dunkin’ driveway toward Public Storage.Wider shot looking W shows location of rebar in upper center (to left of traffic).New Enclave Subdivision within Kings Mill on right.
Enclave Detention Basin Controversy
In a previous post, I noted how construction plans for the Enclave showed its detention basin overflowing into Northpark during extreme rainfall events. That became a concern because one of the main goals for Northpark is to create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people during high-water events.
Detail from Enclave construction plans obtained via FOIA request from Montgomery County Engineer’s Office.Highlight added.
Montgomery County Precinct 4’s Victoria Bryant said that she was convening a review of the plans by the two engineering companies involved (for Northpark Expansion and the Enclave), the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office and Houston Public Works. She has not yet communicated the outcome of that review.
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 conducted its own internal engineering review.
At the LHRA/TIRZ 10 board meeting on 6/12/25, Ralph De Leon, project manager for Northpark expansion stated that “It’s not going to overflow. 100% of the water goes south, ties into Kings Mill, and will go out (to) the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.”
Council Member Fred Flickinger added, “Now, obviously, all of it going into the Diversion Ditch creates another set of issues.”
It’s not clear yet whether the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office reached the same conclusion. No one has explained the reason for the notation on the plans yet.
Meanwhile, Enclave contractors have finished connecting storm sewer pipes to their detention basin.
Storm sewer pipe from Kings Mill now reaches the Enclave Detention Basin.
Bore Under Railroad Tracks
Side-by-side 5-foot steel pipes will carry stormwater under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks from the area west of Loop 494 to the east toward the Diversion Ditch by Flowers of Kingwood.
However, for years, a CenterPoint electricity pole blocked the path. CenterPoint finally removed it last week. That’s good news.
Looking west at start of twin 5-foot pipes that will carry stormwater under tracks.“Receiving pit” on far side of tracks.
Contractors have also apparently finished the receiving pit west of the tracks where the pipes will tie into a junction box under Loop 494 northbound lanes.
However, the “receiving pit” west of the tracks appears to have some utility conflicts of its own. See below.
Note one pipe under ladder and another cutting diagonally across receiving pit.LHRA notes indicate one is an abandoned water line.
Once UnionPacific approves a workaround, LHRA says crews will work 24 hours to finish the bores within two weeks.
As they say in construction, “it’s always something.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/14/25
2846 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/20250614-DJI_20250614153752_0194_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-06-14 20:53:272025-06-14 20:53:28Demolition of Old Westbound Lanes Begins on Northpark
6/13/25 – We had a decentralized system of disaster assistance for almost 200 years before FEMA.
But more than 60% of the U.S. population has never known life without FEMA. So my post about President Trump’s intention to dismantle the agency caused considerable fear and anxiety. This post may help reassure those people. While change is always difficult, it’s possible. We had a decentralized system before. And we are still here.
More than 100 Programs Before Consolidation under FEMA
Before President Carter formed FEMA in 1979, disaster relief was a collection of scattered, fragmented federal, state, and local relief efforts. More than 100 programs existed on the federal level alone across HUD, USDA, DOE and other departments. The situation was chaotic and duplicative.
However, a recent announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump indicated that FEMA will be disbanded after this hurricane season. Its responsibilities for disaster response will return to the states, according to Trump.
It appears we are coming full circle. How did we get here? Below is a brief history of disaster relief efforts in the U.S. dating back to 1802.
Early Federal Involvement (1802-1930s)
The first legislative act of federal disaster relief in U.S. history followed a devastating fire in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in December 1802. The destruction of large areas of the city’s seaport threatened commerce in the newly founded United States. In 1803, the U.S. Congress provided relief to affected Portsmouth merchants by suspending bond payments for several months.
In 1900, the first federal government disaster mitigation effort was in Galveston. The government assisted local and state groups with building the seawall.
Up through the 1930s, federal support was ad hoc. Congress passed more than 128 one-off disaster relief bills—each tailored to a specific event. There was no overarching federal policy.
During the New Deal era in the 1930s, agencies such the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (1932) and the Bureau of Public Roads (1934) began offering loans and disaster-related rebuilding funds for public infrastructure. (But the 1953 RFC Liquidation Act terminated its lending powers in an effort to fulfill President Dwight Eisenhower’s vision of limiting government’s involvement in the economy.)
From Civil Defense to Disaster Relief (1940-1960s)
On September 30, 1950, Congress passed the Federal Disaster Relief Act. It let the federal government assist states during disasters, by empowering the President to declare a “major disaster” and provide limited federal assistance. The President retained this function in various incarnations until 1973. But, overall, federal efforts still remained highly fragmented.
On December 1, 1950, President Harry Truman created the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA). It focused on nuclear threats, civil defense and disaster relief. Then in 1958, the FCDA merged into the Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization.
In the 1960s, several major disasters drove change. Events like the Great Alaska Earthquake (1964) and Hurricanes Betsy (1965) and Camille (1969) spurred federal involvement.
The Flood Control Act of 1965 gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers greater authority to implement flood control projects.
The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 created the NFIP to address flood risk via insurance.
Toward Coordination (1970s)
As stated above, by the early 1970s more than 100 programs addressed disaster response across numerous federal agencies.
In 1974, President Nixon signed the Disaster Relief Act. It standardized presidential disaster declarations and improved federal assistance.
During the Carter administration, momentum grew to consolidate scattered federal disaster and civil defense functions under one roof. An executive order formed FEMA on April 1, 1979.
Early FEMA Years (1979 – 1988)
FEMA quickly began coordinating disaster and civil defense efforts, managing the national flood insurance rollover, and responding to events like Love Canal and Three Mile Island.
The Robert T. Stafford Act in 1988 set the foundation for FEMA-led responses following federal declarations. It also encouraged state and local disaster planning.
Expansion and Reform (1990s – 2000)
The next two decades saw both expansion and reform for FEMA. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989 led to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This act specified federal response roles for oil-related disasters.
The Federal Response Plan in 1992 created an interagency framework for coordinated disaster response under the Stafford Act.
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact in 1996 enabled interstate mutual aid during disasters. It facilitated resource sharing when federal help wasn’t triggered.
In 2000, the Disaster Mitigation Act further amended the Stafford Act to emphasize preparedness and planning, including pre-disaster grants.
Post-9/11 and Modernization (2001–present)
After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, FEMA played a key role in emergency coordination, accelerating policy development. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 placed FEMA under DHS (effective 2003), integrating it into broader national security efforts .
The widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, led to the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. It reestablished FEMA as a distinct agency within DHS, defined FEMA’s primary mission, and designated the FEMA Administrator as the principal advisor to the President, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Homeland Security for all matters relating to emergency management in the United States.
In 2008, a National Response Plan aligned response partners from government, NGOs, and the private sector.
Then in 2018, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act updated the Stafford Act again to bolster pre-disaster mitigation funding and resilience-building measures.
Key Takeaways
Emergency assistance is constantly evolving in the U.S.
Fragmented federal assistance endured until the 1970s Relief efforts were hampered by dozens of distinct agencies and programs—resolved only when FEMA centralized federal coordination.
Shift from response to resilience Over time, legislation and policy have increasingly emphasized preparedness and mitigation, not just post-disaster relief.
Partnership model Disaster response in the U.S. is a layered system where local → state → federal coordination is essential, supported by mutual aid compacts and NGOs.
Important to Texas
In reorganizing disaster assistance yet again, I hope that we can retain its best aspects. Disaster assistance is too important to just disappear. The chart below makes that clear. It shows the total amounts of assistance FEMA has offered Texas and other disaster-prone states/territories since its inception.
In Praise of Education, Preservation as Flood-Mitigation Strategies
6/16/25 – Not many people understand the value of education and preservation as a flood-mitigation strategies. Leaving land near waterways in its natural state costs a tiny fraction of building giant detention basins after people flood. Plus the natural land provides recreation for people and habitat for wildlife.
The people who built communities like Kingwood and the Woodlands understood that. That’s why we have 300-foot-wide greenbelts along streams like Bens Branch. It’s also why we have giant natural areas like East End Park and the Creekwood Nature Center. They draw an exceptional amount of wildlife to one of the largest cities in America.
But passing that learning on to others requires education.
Connecting with Nature Through Photography
Ansel Adams once said, “If you want to preserve nature, inspire people with its beauty.” I’d take that a step further and add “…while they are young.”
Education and preservation are both crucial flood-mitigation strategies.
So, this morning, I gave a talk about bird photography to a class of young, aspiring photographers at the Creativity Shell in Kingwood.
Years ago before retirement, I built the building that now houses the Creativity Shell. It won national architectural awards for the way it integrated nature with business. I took many of the photos below on the property near Kingwood Park High School. The rest were taken in the surrounding area.
The photos underscore how preservation can bring beauty, contentment, excitement and joy to people who otherwise inhabit a densely populated urban environment. They help people see the subjects, not just as other species, but as individuals struggling to survive, thrive, and raise young of their own.
Photos of Area Wildlife
And for something completely different…
About the Creativity Shell
The Creativity Shell took over a building I constructed in the early 2000s for my business – Rehak Creative Services. The 20,000 SF facility is divided up into multiple open spaces designed to encourage interaction, sharing and creativity. Virtually every space in the building has a view of nature outside from at least three different angles.
Shelancia Daniel, M.Ed. and executive director, has turned it into a space for encouraging creativity among students of all ages. Offerings include classes/workshops for sewing, textile arts, fiber arts, art, drawing, painting, pottery, photography, media, cooking, culinary arts, knitting, S.T.R.E.A.M. (science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, math/media), and so much more.
The Creativity Shell operates year round. It is a nonprofit organization on a mission to educate and inspire the next generation of makers. It was a privilege and a pleasure to see the light in their young eyes.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/16/25
2848 days since Hurricane Harvey
Demolition of Old Westbound Lanes Begins on Northpark
6/14/25 – In the NorthPark Drive expansion project last week, the traffic switch originally scheduled for 6/6 finally happened on 6/10. Since then, demolition of the old westbound lanes on Northpark between Loop 494 and US59 has begun.
In other Northpark news, contractors are laying rebar in preparation for a concrete pour between Public Storage and Quick Quack Car Wash.
And after an engineering review, Ralph De Leon, the Northpark project manager, says 100% of the water in the Enclave Detention Basin will go south toward the Kingwood Diversion Ditch and that it will not overflow into Northpark.
Finally, CenterPoint has removed an electrical pole that was in the way of boring underneath the UnionPacific Railroad tracks. Contractors have finished the receiving pit west of the tracks and have started boring for the second pipe that will go under the tracks. However, it appears there may be some utility conflicts in the receiving pit west of the tracks.
I took all the pictures below on Saturday, June 14, 2025.
Traffic Switch and Old Lane Demolition
The shot below shows how traffic was diverted from the old westbound lanes in the middle of the frame.
This close shot shows the actual perforations made by what looks like a hydraulic hammer (or giant punch) on the arm of an excavator.
After the old concrete is removed, new culverts will be placed underneath where it was. Then contractors will pour new concrete.
As you can see below, it looks like the perforation stretches halfway from Loop 494 to US59 as of Saturday 6/14/25. LHRA hopes to finish that work this coming week.
Getting Ready for Next Concrete Pour
Contractors have also finished placing rebar in new westbound lanes between the Quick Quack Car Wash and Public Storage.
Enclave Detention Basin Controversy
In a previous post, I noted how construction plans for the Enclave showed its detention basin overflowing into Northpark during extreme rainfall events. That became a concern because one of the main goals for Northpark is to create an all-weather evacuation route for 78,000 people during high-water events.
Montgomery County Precinct 4’s Victoria Bryant said that she was convening a review of the plans by the two engineering companies involved (for Northpark Expansion and the Enclave), the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office and Houston Public Works. She has not yet communicated the outcome of that review.
Separately, the Lake Houston Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 10 conducted its own internal engineering review.
At the LHRA/TIRZ 10 board meeting on 6/12/25, Ralph De Leon, project manager for Northpark expansion stated that “It’s not going to overflow. 100% of the water goes south, ties into Kings Mill, and will go out (to) the Kingwood Diversion Ditch.”
Council Member Fred Flickinger added, “Now, obviously, all of it going into the Diversion Ditch creates another set of issues.”
It’s not clear yet whether the Montgomery County Engineer’s Office reached the same conclusion. No one has explained the reason for the notation on the plans yet.
Meanwhile, Enclave contractors have finished connecting storm sewer pipes to their detention basin.
Bore Under Railroad Tracks
Side-by-side 5-foot steel pipes will carry stormwater under the UnionPacific Railroad tracks from the area west of Loop 494 to the east toward the Diversion Ditch by Flowers of Kingwood.
However, for years, a CenterPoint electricity pole blocked the path. CenterPoint finally removed it last week. That’s good news.
Contractors have also apparently finished the receiving pit west of the tracks where the pipes will tie into a junction box under Loop 494 northbound lanes.
However, the “receiving pit” west of the tracks appears to have some utility conflicts of its own. See below.
Once UnionPacific approves a workaround, LHRA says crews will work 24 hours to finish the bores within two weeks.
As they say in construction, “it’s always something.”
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/14/25
2846 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
U.S. Disaster Assistance History Shows Constant Change
6/13/25 – We had a decentralized system of disaster assistance for almost 200 years before FEMA.
But more than 60% of the U.S. population has never known life without FEMA. So my post about President Trump’s intention to dismantle the agency caused considerable fear and anxiety. This post may help reassure those people. While change is always difficult, it’s possible. We had a decentralized system before. And we are still here.
More than 100 Programs Before Consolidation under FEMA
Before President Carter formed FEMA in 1979, disaster relief was a collection of scattered, fragmented federal, state, and local relief efforts. More than 100 programs existed on the federal level alone across HUD, USDA, DOE and other departments. The situation was chaotic and duplicative.
However, a recent announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump indicated that FEMA will be disbanded after this hurricane season. Its responsibilities for disaster response will return to the states, according to Trump.
It appears we are coming full circle. How did we get here? Below is a brief history of disaster relief efforts in the U.S. dating back to 1802.
Early Federal Involvement (1802-1930s)
The first legislative act of federal disaster relief in U.S. history followed a devastating fire in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in December 1802. The destruction of large areas of the city’s seaport threatened commerce in the newly founded United States. In 1803, the U.S. Congress provided relief to affected Portsmouth merchants by suspending bond payments for several months.
In 1900, the first federal government disaster mitigation effort was in Galveston. The government assisted local and state groups with building the seawall.
Up through the 1930s, federal support was ad hoc. Congress passed more than 128 one-off disaster relief bills—each tailored to a specific event. There was no overarching federal policy.
During the New Deal era in the 1930s, agencies such the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (1932) and the Bureau of Public Roads (1934) began offering loans and disaster-related rebuilding funds for public infrastructure. (But the 1953 RFC Liquidation Act terminated its lending powers in an effort to fulfill President Dwight Eisenhower’s vision of limiting government’s involvement in the economy.)
From Civil Defense to Disaster Relief (1940-1960s)
On September 30, 1950, Congress passed the Federal Disaster Relief Act. It let the federal government assist states during disasters, by empowering the President to declare a “major disaster” and provide limited federal assistance. The President retained this function in various incarnations until 1973. But, overall, federal efforts still remained highly fragmented.
On December 1, 1950, President Harry Truman created the Federal Civil Defense Administration (FCDA). It focused on nuclear threats, civil defense and disaster relief. Then in 1958, the FCDA merged into the Office of Defense and Civilian Mobilization.
In the 1960s, several major disasters drove change. Events like the Great Alaska Earthquake (1964) and Hurricanes Betsy (1965) and Camille (1969) spurred federal involvement.
The Flood Control Act of 1965 gave the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers greater authority to implement flood control projects.
The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 created the NFIP to address flood risk via insurance.
Toward Coordination (1970s)
As stated above, by the early 1970s more than 100 programs addressed disaster response across numerous federal agencies.
In 1974, President Nixon signed the Disaster Relief Act. It standardized presidential disaster declarations and improved federal assistance.
During the Carter administration, momentum grew to consolidate scattered federal disaster and civil defense functions under one roof. An executive order formed FEMA on April 1, 1979.
Early FEMA Years (1979 – 1988)
FEMA quickly began coordinating disaster and civil defense efforts, managing the national flood insurance rollover, and responding to events like Love Canal and Three Mile Island.
The Robert T. Stafford Act in 1988 set the foundation for FEMA-led responses following federal declarations. It also encouraged state and local disaster planning.
Expansion and Reform (1990s – 2000)
The next two decades saw both expansion and reform for FEMA. The Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989 led to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990. This act specified federal response roles for oil-related disasters.
The Federal Response Plan in 1992 created an interagency framework for coordinated disaster response under the Stafford Act.
The Emergency Management Assistance Compact in 1996 enabled interstate mutual aid during disasters. It facilitated resource sharing when federal help wasn’t triggered.
In 2000, the Disaster Mitigation Act further amended the Stafford Act to emphasize preparedness and planning, including pre-disaster grants.
Post-9/11 and Modernization (2001–present)
After the 9/11 attacks in 2001, FEMA played a key role in emergency coordination, accelerating policy development. The Homeland Security Act of 2002 placed FEMA under DHS (effective 2003), integrating it into broader national security efforts .
The widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, led to the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006. It reestablished FEMA as a distinct agency within DHS, defined FEMA’s primary mission, and designated the FEMA Administrator as the principal advisor to the President, the Homeland Security Council, and the Secretary of Homeland Security for all matters relating to emergency management in the United States.
In 2008, a National Response Plan aligned response partners from government, NGOs, and the private sector.
Then in 2018, the Disaster Recovery Reform Act updated the Stafford Act again to bolster pre-disaster mitigation funding and resilience-building measures.
Key Takeaways
Emergency assistance is constantly evolving in the U.S.
Relief efforts were hampered by dozens of distinct agencies and programs—resolved only when FEMA centralized federal coordination.
Over time, legislation and policy have increasingly emphasized preparedness and mitigation, not just post-disaster relief.
Disaster response in the U.S. is a layered system where local → state → federal coordination is essential, supported by mutual aid compacts and NGOs.
Important to Texas
In reorganizing disaster assistance yet again, I hope that we can retain its best aspects. Disaster assistance is too important to just disappear. The chart below makes that clear. It shows the total amounts of assistance FEMA has offered Texas and other disaster-prone states/territories since its inception.
Assistance ($B)
Assistance ($B)
Assistance ($B)
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/13/2025
2845 Days since Hurricane Harvey