Which U.S. agency is responsible for overseeing actions to protect against, respond to, recover from, and prevent the effects of disaster?

• A. American Red Cross
• B. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• C. The National Disaster Relief Agency
• D. The National Incident Management System

Answer: (D)

Disaster management at the federal level is coordinated by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It leads and coordinates actions to protect against, respond to, recover from, and prevent the effects of disasters across all hazards. FEMA works with state, local, and tribal governments, providing guidance, funding, and resources for preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. The National Incident Management System is a framework that standardizes incident command and coordination during emergencies; it helps different agencies work together, but it is not an agency itself. The American Red Cross is a nongovernmental organization that assists with relief efforts, not a federal agency, and there is no National Disaster Relief Agency.