National Emergency Management Association

What Does National Emergency Management Association Mean?

The National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) is an organization focused on preventing, overseeing, and providing relief and rehabilitation from both man-made and natural disasters. It is made up of public and private members, led by state directors of emergency management, and works in partnership with The Council of State Governments.

Insuranceopedia Explains National Emergency Management Association

Emergency management is a relatively young field. Historically, the U.S. government primarily passed laws to provide relief to areas affected by disasters, beginning in 1803 when Congress decided to help Portsmouth, New Hampshire, after a series of fires. NEMA handles coordination at the policy level, but the actual money to rebuild after a disaster usually comes from private insurance. Whether homeowners insurance covers a given natural disaster depends on the cause: most policies cover wind, hail, and fire but exclude floods and earthquakes.

It wasn’t until 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed the Disaster Relief Act, which also led to the creation of the National Emergency Management Association, that the field gained a comprehensive nationwide scope. Emergency management, beyond just providing relief, also focuses on disaster preparedness, mitigation, and addressing any other threats to an area and its population, among other responsibilities. Flood damage is the most common gap, which is why flood insurance is sold separately through the National Flood Insurance Program rather than bundled into a standard homeowners policy.