Virginia Disasters - and the other 49 States at FEMA.gov

Check out this FEMA website to see all the past Virginia Major Disaster Declarations, Emergency Declarations, and Fire Management Assistant Declarations. You can click on the individual Disaster number to view information on that disaster including a map for where the disaster occurred. Link for example. The information gets very detailed beyond that, although the information is not as detailed the older the disaster is.

You can search other States disasters from this FEMA Link.


There is a decent article on Firehouse.com today about the NFPA EXPO Report

NFPA Expo Report: All Disasters are Local, Be Prepared
SUSAN NICOL KYLE
Firehouse.Com News

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Responsibility for handling major incidents, including hurricanes, falls with local government, not the feds, according to Dr. Cortez Lawrence, US Fire Administration fire programs director

"No where in the Constitution is fire protection mentioned," Lawrence told several thousand people at the National Fire Protection Association's annual conference Monday.

Lawrence, who assisted with response after Katrina, said locals need to realize that they must be self-sufficient. "They are the tip of the sword..."

Part of that readiness plan is getting the public to understand that they also must be prepared to fend for themselves for at least 72 hours. They should have a supply of medications, food, water, batteries and other personal care items.