The Legislature finds and declares the following: When a major natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina occurs in Mississippi, there are various types of assistance that are available to individuals and public entities through the federal and state governments to help them recover from the disaster. The majority of that assistance comes from the federal government, and most of the federal assistance is provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). At the state level, most of the assistance is provided through the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA). However, there are also programs in other federal and state agencies that provide assistance and benefits to disaster victims, as well as disaster assistance programs run by public and private entities and disaster-related in-kind donations made by private entities and individuals. Because these other disaster assistance programs and in-kind donations are spread out among a number of agencies and entities, disaster victims sometimes are not aware of the existence of these programs and in-kind donations other than those provided through FEMA and MEMA. After a disaster has occurred, it would be very beneficial for the victims of the disaster to have a single entity in the state, one point of contact, where individuals and public entities would be able to obtain information about those other disaster assistance programs and disaster-related in-kind donations, obtain all of the forms and materials necessary in order to receive the benefits of those programs and in-kind donations, and receive assistance in completing and filing the applications for those programs and in-kind donations.
Structure Mississippi Code