FEMA Case Study Library

Browse case study reports and best practice articles from across FEMA's areas of expertise. You can search by title or keywords, select additional content filters, or jump to a collection.

Collections

Search All Case Studies

Government Assessment of Constituent Needs During COVID-19

Governments can use different survey methods, such as online forms and socially distanced household visits, to assess constituent needs and better formulate outreach and response plans.

Government Engagement with Requests for Assistance During COVID-19

Online request forms and helplines can help officials assess constituent needs relating to food, hygiene, and medication procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through these resources, residents who are unable to obtain necessities for medical, physical, or financial reasons can request delivery assistance.

Engaging Citizens Through Government Information Hubs During COVID-19

Many state and local governments have consolidated COVID-19 updates, resources, and help request forms on their webpages for convenient access. To ensure accessibility across all communities, some sites include language translations and phone numbers to call for further assistance in navigating the resources.

Food Bank Logistics During COVID-19

State, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments can partner with private organizations to support the logistics of purchasing and distributing large amounts of food donations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals and corporations donated freezers for food storage, and restaurants and caterers donated excess food from business closures and cancelled events.

Food Bank Accessibility During COVID-19

Centralized information sources online or through a helpline or textline can provide key information regarding county or city food banks, such as location, hours, contact information, and delivery availability. This can increase the accessibility of these resources during a pandemic.

Food Bank Workforce and Community Partnerships During COVID-19

Food banks can partner with restaurants, schools, or private and non-profit organizations to increase their workforce, community reach, and food supply during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Preparedness Grants Effectiveness Case Study: Jersey City–Newark, New Jersey

In September 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a preparedness grants effectiveness virtual case study with members of the Jersey City–Newark, New Jersey Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI; Jersey City–Newark). The purpose of the study was to understand the role of FEMA preparedness grants on the region’s COVID-19 pandemic response.

Preparedness Grants and FEMA Integration Team Effectiveness Case Study: Connecticut

In July 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a preparedness grants and FEMA Integration Team (FIT) effectiveness virtual case study with the State of Connecticut. The purpose of the study was to understand the role of FEMA preparedness grants and FITs in the state’s coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic response.

The U.S. and Canada Use Hazus to Mitigate Earthquake Risk

Public agencies in the U.S. and Canada used Hazus in a collaborative project to determine the potential impact of earthquakes and other natural disasters across the Pacific Northwest, a region with multiple vulnerabilities.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Study: More Flood Information is Key to More Reliable Damage Estimates

An innovative study by the USGS, in coordination with FEMA, looked at damage estimate increases in several New York counties following Hurricane Sandy. The study reviewed building damage estimates at storm landfall, two weeks after the storm, and three months later.