No Hurricanes or Earthquakes Yet, But FEMA Already Headed for Record Year

Matt Mayer / June 06, 2011

In President Barack Obama’s first two years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) averaged 108 disaster declarations per year. In less than six months, FEMA already has issued 100 declarations in 2011.

The record year remains 1996, when President Bill Clinton issued 157 declarations. If FEMA maintains this pace for the rest of the year, it will exceed 200 declarations and push President Obama’s yearly average to 139 per year. This figure would continue the trend started by President George H. W. Bush of presidential Administrations exceeding the previous Administration’s FEMA declaration total.

Bush averaged 43.5 declarations per year, which was 15.4 declarations more than President Ronald Reagan (who finished 15.9 declarations below President Jimmy Carter). President Clinton doubled that average by issuing 89.3 declarations per year. Not to be outdone, President George W. Bush finished his eight years with an average of 129.5 declarations per year, or a new declaration every three days. (more…)