Emergency Management Legal and Financial Frameworks Questions and Answers

Question 1

A state governor determines that a catastrophic hurricane has caused damage beyond the state's and local governments' capabilities to respond.
Under which primary legal authority must the governor formally request federal assistance and a presidential disaster declaration?

Accepted Answer

The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act

Answer

The Homeland Security Act

Answer

The Posse Comitatus Act

Answer

The Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC)

Question 2

Under the FEMA Public Assistance (PA) program, what is the standard federal cost-share for eligible disaster-related expenses for emergency work and permanent restoration?

Accepted Answer

Not less than 75% federal, with the remainder covered by the non-federal source

Answer

100% federal for emergency work, 50% for permanent work

Answer

50% federal, 50% state/local

Answer

90% federal, 10% state/local, for all categories of work

Question 3

A state deploys urban search and rescue teams to another state under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC) to assist with earthquake response. Which of the following is a key legal provision of EMAC that applies to the deployed personnel?

Accepted Answer

Deployed personnel are granted the same powers, duties, rights, and privileges as similar personnel in the requesting state.

Answer

The requesting state assumes full liability for any actions of the assisting state's personnel.

Answer

Deployed personnel must be paid directly by the requesting state's payroll system during the mission.

Answer

All deployment costs are automatically covered by a federal grant, bypassing state-to-state reimbursement.

Question 4

Following a presidential disaster declaration, a local government needs to hire a contractor immediately for emergency debris removal to clear life-saving access routes. To comply with federal procurement standards under 2 CFR Part 200 and ensure FEMA reimbursement, the jurisdiction must:

Accepted Answer

Follow its documented procurement procedures, which may allow for noncompetitive (sole-source) contracts when a public exigency or emergency will not permit a delay.

Answer

Award the contract to the lowest bidder, regardless of their qualifications or ability to perform the work.

Answer

Suspend all local procurement policies and operate without any formal contracts until the emergency phase is over.

Answer

Utilize only contractors that have been pre-approved and are listed on a federal government schedule.

Question 5

What is the primary requirement of the Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards (PETS) Act of 2006?

Accepted Answer

It requires state and local governments to include plans for household pets and service animals in their emergency operations plans to be eligible for certain FEMA funding.

Answer

It mandates that all hotels and motels must accept household pets during a declared disaster.

Answer

It provides direct financial grants to individual pet owners to cover post-disaster veterinary care.

Answer

It creates a new federal agency responsible for rescuing and sheltering animals during disasters.

Question 6

Which of the following best distinguishes funding from HUD's Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program from FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) program?

Accepted Answer

CDBG-DR funds are primarily for long-term recovery, such as addressing unmet housing needs and economic revitalization, while FEMA PA focuses on emergency work and repairing public infrastructure.

Answer

Only state governments are eligible to receive CDBG-DR funds, while only local governments can apply for FEMA PA.

Answer

CDBG-DR has a fixed 90% federal cost-share, while the FEMA PA cost-share is always 50%.

Answer

CDBG-DR is available immediately after a disaster declaration, while FEMA PA funds are typically released many months or years later.