Virginia State Government - Essay Example

and Number Due Regular Recipient of FEMA Funds Although the largest natural disasters, like Hurricane Katrina, receive most of our attention, smaller disaster occur quite frequently, and the state of Virginia is a regular recipient of funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA can be applied for by any state, as it is a federal program; however, the state of Virginia makes application, and receives services, on a pretty regular basis. In September 1999, Hurricane Floyd hit Virginia.

According to the Virginia Disaster Recovery newsletter, President Bill Clinton declared a state of emergency on Sept. 18, making monies available for “grants to pay for temporary housing, minor home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses” (1). There is little argument that these services were needed, but the number of requests in the years to come might speak volumes. In June 2004, aid was given to Virginia once again. The “Federal Disaster Aid Authorized for Virginia Storms” press release read that funds were requested for a “series of severe storms” (para. 1). Most of the money went to southwestern Virginia to help residential families and small businesses affected by flooding from rainstorms, and damage done by tornadoes.

In December 2006, the state of Virginia made application to FEMA once again for damage done by Tropical Storm Ernesto. This time, however, the state was denied FEMA help. In “FEMA Denies Richmond’s Housing-Money Request,” Michael Martz writes that the city was denied “more than $198,000 … spent to house people in hotels and apartments after their North Side neighborhoods were flooded Sept. 1” (para. 2). Even with the rejection, Martz reported that Virginia officials still planned to apply for $35 million to fix a collapsed sewer line, and to take preventive measures against further flooding in the city’s Battery Park.

Later that year, a news story titled “Blame the Weather” appeared in Economist. Although Virginia was not named specifically, the main idea of the article was that “bad weather and bad government may be related” (para. 1). The story read that the large influxes of cash provided by FEMA made it easy for government officials to skim money off the top by inflating the actual amount of damage done, demanding kickbacks from contractors hired to rebuild, etc. It was revealed that if FEMA were defunct, government corruption would be “cut by more than 20% in the average state” (para. 4). That is based on the idea of each state’s resident being cheated out of only $1.

This revelation did not stop Virginia from filing for FEMA cash again the following year. In “FEMA Gives $158,979 to Brookneal Fire Department,” Dave Thompson wrote that FEMA “awarded $547,092 to fire departments across Virginia” (para. 1). Brookneal Fire Chief Dean Guthrie was careful not to waste any of its allotment. In his interview with Thompson he stated that he didn’t use any of the money on buying new vehicles, or even basic repairs. Instead, he purchased “personal equipment for the firefighters, most notably including self-contained breathing apparatuses” (para. 3). He also purchased items like goggles, helmets, and gloves, items he said the firemen had desperately needed for a long time.

No one is accusing the state of Virginia of any wrongdoing. State officials claim they just want to make sure that residents are taken care of when a disaster occurs. Apparently, the powers that be feel that applying for FEMA money, and often, is the best way to ensure that Virginians have what they need, and that the state can receive adequate reimbursement whenever possible.Works Cited“Blame the Weather.” Economist 380.8493 (02 Sep. 2006): 28. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Retrieved 20 Mar. 2008.“Federal Disaster Aid Authorized for Virginia Storms.

” (15 Jun. 2004). http://www.fema.gov.news/newsrelease.fema?id=12533“Floyd Hits Virginia.” Virginia Disaster Recovery 1 (02 Oct. 1999): 1-8.Martz, Michael. “FEMA Denies Richmond’s Housing-Money Request.” Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA) (08 Dec. 2006). Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Retrieved 21 Mar. 2008.Thompson, Dave. “FEMA Gives $158, 979 to Brookneal Fire Department.” News & Advance, The (Lynchburg, VA) (24 Nov. 2007). Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Retrieved 21 Mar. 2008.