State Governments

State governments in the United States are expected to prepare for disasters in advance, respond after disasters, and assist local governments with disaster relief if those governments are unable to respond alone. While states have their own emergency management agencies, other agencies also help with disaster relief and recovery. States have more resources available to them than local governments, but can also focus more narrowly on specific disasters than the federal government, a combination that bridges potential gaps in disaster preparedness, recovery, and relief between local and federal levels of government. State governments aid local governments when they become overwhelmed by disasters, while also coordinating additional aid and assistance from the federal government.

State governments respond to natural disasters, human-made disasters, and technological disasters. These broader ...