Former Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrators Craig Fugate and David
Paulison recently called on Congress to improve pre-disaster mitigation efforts
at a
hearing of the House Homeland Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response and
Communications.
“There are probably no
two more experienced and knowledgeable people on Earth when it comes to dealing
with natural disasters, either before or after they occur,”
Jimi Grande, National
Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC) senior vice president of governmental affairs,
said according to a NAMIC release. “The case that
former administrators Paulison and Fugate made for strengthening our
pre-disaster mitigation programs and statewide building codes was compelling,
and NAMIC strongly urges Congress to follow through on their recommendations to
better strengthen and prepare Americans for natural disasters.”
Their testimony
focused on the role FEMA could play in mitigating the threats of natural
disasters through incentives for adopting modernized building codes, which
could reduce both property damage and the loss of lives.
“We’ve seen the number
of disaster declarations skyrocket over the past few decades, regardless of
which party is in power, along with an unsustainable growth in how much of the
recovery is paid for with taxpayer dollars,” Grande said. “As insurers, NAMIC
member companies know that the best recovery plan is to prevent losses before
they happen. A FEMA that is focused on mitigation and resiliency will be better
able to serve our communities before and after natural disasters.”
Paulison is a senior
adviser to the BuildStrong Coalition, of which NAMIC is a founding member.
