Digital Government

Five years after Katrina, government IT still feels storm's fury

Five years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, the region continues to rebuild and the federal government is still trying to fix information technology-related problems that the storm and its aftermath exposed.

Modernization

FEMA needs to bridge logistics software gaps: IG

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has made progress in logistics, but its Total Asset Visibility logistics information system isn't finished, a new report says.

Modernization

Applying for FEMA aid now a smart phone app away

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today that it has set up a new service that allows smart phone users to apply for federal disaster aid.

Cybersecurity

Widgets, Twitter to fuel FEMA emergency alerts

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has created 11 widgets and 13 Twitter feeds as part of its arsenal of social media tools aimed at disaster preparedness and response.

Digital Government

FEMA's planned disaster game needs pain and death

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is looking for ideas for an online 'Disaster Hero' game. John Breeden II, director of Government Computer News' product lab and an avid gamer, says kids and others will learn more if the game isn't sugarcoated.

Digital Government

Seeking disaster relief? Who you gonna call?

FEMA chief architecture talks about DisasterAssistance.gov success stories at GTRA.

Digital Government

FEMA puts disaster info into hands of smart-phone users

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's new mobile Web site offers information on emergency preparedness, response and assistance via smart phone.

Modernization

FEMA goes mobile with disaster info

FEMA has a new Web site to help victims get disaster-related information on their mobile phones.

Cybersecurity

FEMA mismanaged $40M IT system, IG says

FEMA made a mess of developing an IT system to oversee the National Flood Insurance Program, a new report says.

Cybersecurity

FEMA seeks social media contractor

Federal Emergency Management Agency issues a contract request for a media services company that can deliver information from disaster areas via social media and local media news outlets.

Cybersecurity

DHS considers contracts for collecting disaster-related imagery

The Homeland Security Department wants information from industry on collecting images to be used in a system to help with disaster response and recovery.

Modernization

FEMA needs better IT systems to cut risk of double-dipping, auditors say

FEMA pays out billions in disaster aid without the means to guard against double-dipping, according to a new audit.

Modernization

FEMA revamps Spanish language site

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has redesigned a Spanish-language Web site with disaster information and a user-friendly format.

Modernization

FEMA falls short on warning systems, GAO says

A GAO official cited FEMA's lack of progress on its public alert systems for disasters, but a FEMA official defended the agency's pace.

Cybersecurity

Performance survey gives low grades to Interior, FEMA, Forest Service

Managers at the Interior Department, FEMA and the U.S. Forest Service got low rankings for using performance management data, according to the GAO.

Cybersecurity

Build a better test for your emergency response systems

There are a variety of techniques and tools that agencies can use to get the most out of the time and money they spend testing their emergency management systems.

Cybersecurity

Independent evaluations

Eastern Kentucky University independently evaluates how well commercial incident management software meets the criteria of the National Incident Management System standard.

Cybersecurity

FCC buying emergency notification system

The FCC is buying an emergency notification system to keep in touch with responder agencies and taking other steps to improve its disaster communications capabilities, its chairman said today.

Cybersecurity

IG: FEMA needs centralized IT for disaster relief

FEMA needs to centralize how it buys goods and services for dealing with disasters into an integrated information technology system, a report recommends.