Who plays what roles when a natural disaster occurs?
On a federal level, there is an agency called FEMA (The Federal Emergency Management Agency). They are an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security whose primary purpose is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States. FEMA also provides these services for territories of the United States, such as Puerto Rico.
The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the president that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster.
How are we able to study these natural disasters?
These days we have some of the most magnificent technology around! from Satellite Imagery to GPS Positioning Systems (GPS). We can take pictures from space, pin point certain areas from space, map out previously inexistent cities, etc.
USGS (United States Geographical Survey) had an article about aerial photography. It said that, "images of the Earth taken from the air and from space show a great deal about the planet's landforms, vegetation, and resources. Aerial and satellite images, known as remotely sensed images, permit accurate mapping of land cover and make landscape features understandable on regional, continental, and even global scales. Transient phenomena, such as seasonal vegetation vigor and contaminant discharges, can be studied by comparing images acquired at different times."
On a federal level, there is an agency called FEMA (The Federal Emergency Management Agency). They are an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security whose primary purpose is to coordinate the response to a disaster that has occurred in the United States. FEMA also provides these services for territories of the United States, such as Puerto Rico.
The governor of the state in which the disaster occurs must declare a state of emergency and formally request from the president that FEMA and the federal government respond to the disaster.
How are we able to study these natural disasters?
These days we have some of the most magnificent technology around! from Satellite Imagery to GPS Positioning Systems (GPS). We can take pictures from space, pin point certain areas from space, map out previously inexistent cities, etc.
USGS (United States Geographical Survey) had an article about aerial photography. It said that, "images of the Earth taken from the air and from space show a great deal about the planet's landforms, vegetation, and resources. Aerial and satellite images, known as remotely sensed images, permit accurate mapping of land cover and make landscape features understandable on regional, continental, and even global scales. Transient phenomena, such as seasonal vegetation vigor and contaminant discharges, can be studied by comparing images acquired at different times."
Sources:
Unknown author (NA) Aerial Photographs and Satellite ImagesOnline Edition. Retrieved from http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/aerial/aerial.html
Unknown author (NA) Aerial Photographs and Satellite ImagesOnline Edition. Retrieved from http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/aerial/aerial.html