With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
NAACP Signs Agreement With FEMA To Advance Equity In Disaster Resilience
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (left) along with NAACP President & CEO Derrick Johnson (right) signed an agreement this week outlining ways in which the two organizations will work together to center equity in disaster preparedness and response efforts.
(
NAACP
)
The NAACP announced Friday it has signed an agreement with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to outline ways both organizations will work together to center equity in its disaster preparedness and response efforts across the country.
The memorandum of agreement, which was signed Thursday by NAACP President Derrick Johnson and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, extends a formal collaboration between the two organizations first signed in 2013 to partner on the preparation and responses to natural disasters.
Research has shown that flooding in the U.S. disproportionately harms Black neighborhoods. In a March 2019 report published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, researchers discovered that while urban flooding affects a wide range of demographic groups, it is most harmful to minorities, low-income residents and those who do not have the resources to handle the aftermath of a storm.
"Let's be clear — natural disasters have a disproportionate and devastating impact on Black communities and it is our duty to ensure that they are not left behind in the aftermath," Johnson said in a statement to NPR.
Sponsored message
"This partnership signifies both the NAACP and FEMA's commitment to change that narrative and to put the well-being and resilience of Black communities at the forefront of disaster response," Johnson added.
As part of the collaborative effort, the NAACP's Emergency Management Task Force will regularly meet with FEMA to advance its progress on equity around disaster preparedness, according to the NAACP.
Criswell, who has served as the administrator of FEMA since April 2021, says the agency has always worked closely with the NAACP when responding to disasters and throughout the recovery process — complimenting the work the civil rights organization has done when it comes to disaster response.
"From California to Mississippi to Florida, and every place in between, our partnership ensures we're able to meet people where they are and help them before, during and after disasters," Criswell said in a statement.
News of the signed agreement between the two organizations comes as forecasters warn of signs that the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will start to pick up in intensity and could possibly end up having more named storms than usual this year. Floods are getting more frequent and severe in most of the U.S. because of more extreme precipitation and sea level rise from climate change.
People walk through flood waters last month in Crystal River, Fla. Hurricane Idalia made landfall along the Big Bend region of Florida.
(
Chris O'Meara
/
AP
)
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration increased their prediction last month for the ongoing Atlantic hurricane season — from a prediction of a "near-normal" season back in May, to one that may feature an "above-normal level of activity."
Sponsored message
On Thursday, forecasters said a disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean could lead to a tropical storm as it makes its way up the coast of North Carolina by Friday night; bringing high winds, coastal flooding and life-threatening rip currents northward to New Jersey over the weekend.
If the disturbance reaches the strength of a tropical storm, it will be named Ophelia, the 16th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit npr.org.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
