The Players

Background

I should explain a little about who the players are.

FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is a key player. It is a multi-headed beast and I don’t know most of the heads. I know I work for the arm called ESF-14. This is the part of FEMA concerned with long term recovery planning. There are ESF-7s and 8s, and I assume 1s and 2s but I have not met them. We at ESF-14 work closely with the state. In fact, the content of the plans are pretty much dictated by the state.

The Mississippi Recovery Authority – Post-hurricanes, the state created a new entity, called the Mississippi Recovery Authority (MRA). It is mostly made up of people from other state agencies that now have two jobs. Their ranks are supplemented by consultants.

There are a number of different people that work for FEMA, some directly and some indirectly.
Contractors - FEMA gave some major contracts to national engineering and architecture firms. These are called TACs. There is a FLUOR TAC and a NISTAC. Many of the people are working down here signed on with on of the largest firms. The standard “deployment” is for three months.
Local hires – FEMA tries very hard to hire local residents. Local hires often are the first hired and last fired. Some of them will continue to work for FEMA for years, wrapping up all the loose ends.
FEMA and other federal employees – A small number of people are FEMA employees or employees from other federal agencies.

Local governments – The county governments in Mississippi are, more or less, the clients. They will look over and approve the plans before they are submitted to the governor for approval.