FEMA Discusses Disaster Response and COVID-19

FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor spoke with media outlets around the nation Friday about the whole-of-America response to COVID-19.  The Administrator talked about the historic response to COVID-19, how FEMA will apply lessons learned and future guidance on how the agency will operate during the upcoming hurricane season and COVID-19 pandemic.

During the interview Administrator Gaynor talked about several actions to consider before a hurricane approaches, like moving those at risk or in the path of a storm to a shelter.

“Typically, in a hurricane, we would move people from their homes that are at risk to a shelter,” he said. “But now we have to take that into consideration. How much space do we need in a shelter? What are all the conditions that have to be there, to make sure that we are socially distancing and that we have good hygiene in shelters?”

During a Nextar Media interview Administrator Gaynor talked about FEMA’s historic response to COVID-19 and how the pandemic prompted a major disaster declaration for every state, the five territories and Washington, D.C., for the first time in U.S. history.

“This is an historic response,” he said, adding that FEMA has a huge footprint across the country and territories in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Administrator added, “This thing [coronavirus] is so immense that it takes the whole of America, whole of community to do this.”

Natural disasters impact investors, service providers, mortgage servicers, government agencies, legal professionals, lenders, property preservation companies, and homeowners. According to FEMA, the COVID-19 crisis is a present example of how our industry and daily operations suffer in the face of unforeseen incidents.

Learn more about natural disasters and their impact on mortgage servicing at the Disaster Preparedness Virtual Symposium, IMPACT 20/20. The symposium will include critical conversations on response, reaction, and assistance to ensure the industry is ready to lend the proper support the next time a natural disaster strikes.

Register today for the Disaster Preparedness Virtual Symposium.