NEMA Timeline

1974

The National Emergency Management Association is incorporated in the District of Columbia

Super Tornado Outbreak with 148 twisters impacts 13 states and takes 330 lives and injured 5,454 in April known as "The Day of the Thousand Tornadoes". The impact caused creation of the Disaster Relief Act.

1978

Love Canal Incident near Niagara Falls, NY - public health emergency.

National Governor's Association Emergency Preparedness Project set the stage for all hazards emergency preparedness.

1979

Three Mile Island Incident

On April 1, President Jimmy Carter issued Executive Order 12127 creating FEMA.

1981-1982

NEMA President is Charles Ott (AZ)

1982

NEMA 1982 Annual Conference is held in New Orleans, LA

1982-1983

The NEMA President is Ernie Jones (IL)

1983

NEMA 1983 Annual Conference is held in Springfield, IL

1983-1984

NEMA President is Pat Byrne (CO)

1984

Bhopal, India - world's first chemical release disaster - killed over 11,000

1984

NEMA 1984 Annual Conference is held in Denver, CO

1984-1985

The NEMA President is Lacy Suiter (TN)

NEMA works closely with EPA and others to establish SARA Title III Program

NEMA 1985 Annual Conference is held in Nashville, TN

1985-1986

NEMA President is Don DeVito (NY)

1986

1986

Chernobyl Radiation Release

NEMA 1986 Annual Conference is held in Albany, NY

1986-1987

The NEMA President is James Maher (MS)

1987

NEMA works closely with US DOT and others to implement the Hazmat Transportation Uniform Safety Act (HMTUSA)

NEMA 1987 Annual Confernece is held in Jackson, MS

1987-1988

The NEMA President is Billy Joe Clark (GA)

1988

1988

The NEMA 1988 Annual Conference is held in Kansas City, MO

1988-1989

NEMA President is Joe Myers (NC)

1989

NEMA 1989 Annual Conference is held in Chapel Hill, NC

Exxon Valdez oil spill

Califonia Loma Prieta Earthquake

Hurricane Hugo hits North Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands

1989

Fall of the Berlin Wall ends the Cold War

1989-1990

The NEMA President is R.D. Ross (MO)

1990

NEMA testifies before Congress to urge Federal, States, and local governments to adopt an all hazards approach to emergency planning.

NEMA 1990 Annual Conference in St. Louis, MO:  NEMA decides to seek affiliation with The Council of State Governments for association management.

1990

NEMA testifies before Congress to urge Federal, States, and local governments to adopt an all hazards approach to emergency planning.

1990-1991

1991

1991-1992

The NEMA President is Dale Shipley (OH)

1992

The NEMA 1992 Annual Conference is held in Columbus, OH

NEMA unanimously adopts a position paper supporting the establishment of the IAEM's Certified Emergency Management (CEM) Program.

The first Federal Response plan is disseminated to the States in April, four months before landfall of Hurricane Andrew

Hurricane Andrew hits south Florida


Hurricane Iniki hits Hawaii

1992-1993

The NEMA President is Roy Price, Sr. (HI)

1993

Southern Governor's Association establishes the Southern Regional Emergency Management Assistance Compact (SREMAC)

NEMA and FEMA conduct the Civil Defense Requirements Study to estimate the total budget requirements to fill the shortfall between current resources and requirements for a prudent level of capability nationwide.  The GAO would not allow its release due to the price tag for emergency management.

The Great Floods of 1993 cost an estimated $15 billion and impacted the states of ND, SD, NE, MN, IA, MO, WI, and IL.

The terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City.

Hurricane Marilyn strikes the U.S. Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico.

Magnitude 8.1 Guam Earthquake

1993

Storm of the Century - the Great Blizzard of 1993 hits the eastern US and leaves 2.5 million without power in 26 states.

1993-1994

The NEMA President is David McMillion (MD)

NEMA establishes membership categories for Key State Staff and Individuals.

1993

FEMA introduces mitigation as a "cornerstone" of emergency management.

1994

House & Senate Bipartisan Task Force on Disaster Assistance releases reports - current federal disaster assistance policies in some instances may discourage individuals, communities, and state governments from taking action to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. 

NEMA 1994 Annual Conference is held in Baltimore, MD.

Northridge Earthquake (6.9 magnitude) occurs in Southern California.

1994

NEMA established Individual Honorary Lifetime Membership Award for all Past Presidents and others making a significant contribution to NEMA.

1994-1995

The NEMA President is Keith Lough (NM)

1995

FEMA establishes Performance Partnership Agreement with States to consolidate stove-piped funding streams for greater flexibility in the use of Federal emergency management grant funding.

SREMAC becomes EMAC - a national mutual aid compact open to all states and territories. NEMA takes over the administration from Southern Governor's Association.

1995

FEMA produces the first National Mitigation Strategy and is endorsed by NEMA.

NEMA establishes the annual New State Director Training Course.

Bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK by domestic terrorists.

Hurricane Opal strikes Florida.  EMAC is activated for the first time when Mississippi provides assistance to Florida. 

NEMA 1995 Annual Conference is held in Albuquerqe, NM.

1995-1996

The NEMA President is Richard Andrews (CA)

1996

NEMA and CSG publish a report on State Emergency Management Funding & Structures in response to Congressional reports that suggest State and local governments are not contributing their fair share to disaster preparedness. This evolved into the NEMA Biennial Survey.

U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton addresses the NEMA Mid-Year Conference in DC & announces that the position of  FEMA Director has been elevated to Cabinet status by Executive Order.

Hurricane Fran strikes the North Carolina Coast causing $3 billion in damage.

1996

Congress passes EMAC in Public Law 104-321 - the first mutual aid compact approved by Congress since the Civil Defense Act of 1950.

NEMA 1996 Annual Conference is held in San Diego, CA.

1996

NEMA approves a position paper calling for the adoption of the Incident Command System by state and local governments.

1996-1997

The NEMA President is David Rodham (MA)

1997

FEMA implements the Capabilities Assessment for Readiness (CAR)

NEMA unanimously adopts a position paper recommending that FEMA assume a leadership role in coordinating the Federal delivery of terrorism preparedness training to State and local governments.

NEMA endorses a white paper by NC EMA Director Eric Tolbert calling for the establishment of voluntary emergency management standards.

NEMA 1997 Annual Conference is held in Boston, MA where NEMA unveils its first website:  www.nemaweb.org.



Trina Hembree Sheets is named NEMA Executive Director

1997-1998

The NEMA President is Stan McKinney (SC)

1988

The largest activation of EMAC to date occurs in response to the Florida Wildfires

1998

NEMA adopts a "Call to Action" white paper calling for a more collaborative relationship between FEMA and the States.

The first NEMA Strategic Plan is developed.

EMAC responds to Hurricane Georges in Mississippi and Louisiana.

NEMA 1998 Annual Conference is held in Charleston, SC

1988-1999

The NEMA President is Ellen Gordon (IA)

1999

The Grey Brigade Committee is renamed the Past Presidents Committee

Congress established "Gilmore Commission" to assess the nation's capabilities to respond to terrorism.  NEMA is a regular contributor.  Five reports were issued to Congress between 1999-2003 which include nearly all of NEMA's recommendations. 

NEM establishes Terrorism Committee.  The association unamimously adopts a resolution outlining a National Domestic Preparedness Strategy.



Janet Reno - first U.S. Attorney General to address NEMA at the 1999 NEMA Mid-Year Conference.

EMAC responds to Tropical Storm Dennis in North Carolina and Virginia.



NEMA, National Governor's Association, & U.S. Department of Justice partner to deliver regional policy briefings on domestic preparedness.

NEMA & NGA co-host the nation's first national policy summit on domestic preparedness in Williamsburg, VA.  The Summit was attended by al 50 states, DC, and the U.S. Terrorities.

1999

Hurricane Floyd impacts Atlantic coast states from GA to NY.  EMAC responds in NC & FL.

EMAC Y2K team sent to FEMA National Emergency Operations center to coordinate interstate mutual aid if needed.

NEMA 1999 Annual Conference is held in Des Moines, IA.





NEMA adopts a new logo.

1999-2000

The NEMA President is Joe Myers (FL)

2000

EMPG becomes a 50/50 cost share program.

Cerro Grande forest fire impacts Los Alamos, NM.

The NEMA 2000 Annual Conference is held at the Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach, FL.

NEMA works with Congress to ensure passage of The Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 - providing more funding to states & locals for mitigation & a Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program.



NEMA approves a position paper calling for the Administration to issue an Executive Order requiring all Federal agencies to adopt the Incident Command System.



NEMA adopts a resolution on "States Principles for a National Domestic Preparedness Strategy" - sends to Congress and Federal Government.

EMAC responds to Montana wildfires.

Outgoing FEMA Director James Lee Witt is named NEMA Honorary Lifetime Member.

2000-2001

The NEMA President is James Green (MT)

NEMA Congressional Award recipients are Senator Robert Smith (R-NH), Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Senator Graham (D-FL), and Representative Tillie Fowler (R-FL).

2001

The State of Washington was rocked by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in February

July:  NEMA, the National Governor's Association and the U.S. Department of Justice partner to host a national policy summit on domestic preparedness that is attended by all 50 states, DC, and the US Territories.

NEMA adopts a policy to appoint a Private Sector Member liaison to each full standing committee as non-voting members.

9-11-2011- Terrorists attack the Pentagon & World Trade Towers while NEMA held the 2001 NEMA Conference in Big Sky, MT.  The conference adjourned & an EOC was set up in the hotel.  Military aircraft were utilized to transport state and federal officials home.  

EMAC provides assistance to NY.

2001

The Partiot Act is signed into law that, among other things, authorizes terrorism prevention grants to state and local governments.

A Homeland Security Office is established in The White House.

NEMA publishes a white paper on Domestic Preparedness that is endorsed by AGAUS, IAEM, NGAUS, and CSG.  The paper is submitted to the Gilmore Commission.

The White House Homeland Security Advisory Council is established.  NEMA Past Presidents, Dick Andrews and Ellen Gordon, are named members.

NEMA testifies before three Congressional committees on the issue of State and Local Domestic Preparedness.

2001-2002

The NEMA President is Eric Tolbert (NC)

2002

White House Homeland Security Director, Tom Ridge, addresses NEMA at the 2002 Mid-Year Conference; receives a standing ovation.

2002

EMAP becomes an independent organization from NEMA and is granted affiliation with CSG.

2002

NEMA 2002 Annual Conference is held in Ashville, NC

2002-2003

The NEMA President is Glen Woodbury (WA)

2003

The NEMA Congressional Award recipients are:  Senator Bill First (R-TN), Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Representative Jane Harmon (D-CA), and Represeentative Jim Walsh (R-NY).

NEMA hosts the second National Emergency Partnership Summit with key stakeholder organizations.  This was made possible by the success of the first Summit in 2002. 

EMAC responds to the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster.

The District of Columbia Emergency Management Agency & the Florida Divison of Emergency Managment became the first programs accredited through EMAP. 

2003

2003-2004

The NEMA President is Ed Jacoby (NY)

2004

NEMA unanimously adopts a position paper opposing the Administration's budget request to implement a 25% cap on the use of EMPG funds to support personnel and to shift the program's all hazards emphasis to terrorism.

NEMA establishes the National Homeland Security Consortium that includes 21 national associations representing State and Local government emergency preparedness and response officials, elected officials and the private sector.

EMAC responds to four consecutive hurricanes (Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne) that hit FL within six weeks during August & September.



NEMA Congressional Award recipients are Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Steven LaTourette (R-OH), and Representative James Turner (D-TX).

2004

NEMA partners on elections security contingency planning with the National Governors' Association, National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of Chief Election Officials.

NEMA 2004 Annual Conference is held in New York, NY.

2004-2005

The NEMA President is Dave Liebersbach (AK)

2005

NEMA testifies before Congress on the incident command system.

Jacksonville/Duval County, Florida becomes the first local jurisdiction to become accredited through EMAP










NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), Republican Christopher Cox (R-CA) & Representative Martin Olav Sabo (D-MN).

2005

NEMA sends a letter to DHS and Congress opposing the DHS Second Stage Review that would transfer Preparedness programs from FEMA to DHS.

The 2005 Annual Conference is held in Anchorage, AK.

Hurricane Dennis impacts Mississippi, Alabama, and Flordia.  States respond under EMAC to provide assistance. 

EMAC responds to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita - deploying nearly 67,000 National Guard and civilian personnel to provide interstate mutual aid assistance - the largest mutual aid effort in US history.

2005

NEMA adopts a position paper on "Principles for All Hazards Preparedness Functions" in resonse to the DHS 2SR reorganization.

NEMA testifies before the US House of Representatives on the response to Hurricane Katrina and on the National Response Plan.

2005-2006

The NEMA President is Bruce Baughman (AL)

2006

NEMA testifies before the House and Senate on the response to Hurricane Katrina

NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are: Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond (R-MO), Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Representative Bill Shuster (R-PA), and Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS).

NEMA testifies before Congress on recommendationsfor the national emergency response system.

2006

NEMA testifies before the Senate on the response to Hurricane Katrina.

The Senate, House, and White House issue after action reports on the response to Hurricane Katrina and all cite EMAC as a success story.

NEMA testifies before Congress on recommendations for the national emergency response system.

The NEMA 2006 Annual Conference is held in Perdido Beach, Alabama.

2006

NEMA establishes the Distinguished Service in Emergency Managment Award, renames it the Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award in his honor, and awards it to NEMA President Lacy E. Suiter posthumously.

2006

NEMA developed the EM logo and phrase "Public Safety, Public Trust" for the emergency management community.  The EM logo is unveiled at a national press conference and endorsed by FEMA & IAEM.

2006-2007

The NEMA President is Albert Ashwood (OK)

2007

NEMA Congressional Award recipients are: Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Senator Richard Burr (R-NC), Representative Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), and Representative Dave Reichert (R-WA).

NEMA establishes a National Leadership in Emergency Management Award.  The first recipients are Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), and Senator George Voinovich (R-OH).

Hawaii becomes the 50th state to ratify EMAC

2007

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issues a report on EMAC, citing it as a success and encourages Congress and the Federal Government to provide NEMA funding support for EMAC's administration.

NEMA is successful in insuring authorization for the all hazards Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program in the 9/11 Implementation Act.

NEMA is successful in working with Congress to increase EMPG funding to a historic $300 million.

NEMA testifies before Congress on the draft National Response Framework.

NEMA adopts recommended criteria for the State Emergency Management Director position.

NEMA 2007 Annual Conference is held in Oklahoma City, OK.

NEMA Past President Dale Shipley receives the 2007 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award.

2007-2008

The NEMA President is Ken Murphy (OR)

2008

NEMA testifies before the US House of Representatives on mutual aid.

NEMA briefs the Presdiential Campaigns of Senator John McCain, Senator Barack Obama, and Senator Hillary Clinton on priority emergency management and homeland security issues.

NEMA Congressional Award recipients are: Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN), Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Represenatative Tom Davis (R-VA), and Representative David Price (D-NC).
 

NEMA National Leadership in Emergency Management Award recipient is Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV).

NEMA partners on election security contingency planning with the National Governors' Association, National Association of Secretaries of State, adn National Association of Chief Election Officials.

EMAP becomes a nationally accredited organization for the development of standards (ANSI Accredited).

2008

Midwest Floods impact Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana.  EMAC assistance is provided to Iowa.

The Barack Obama for President Campaign meets with the National Homeland Security Consortium and invites stakeholders input on policy documents.

An EMAC A-Team is deployed to Colorado's EOC for the Democratic National Convention.



Outgoing CSG President Dan Sprague receives the Honorary Lifetime Membership Award

NEMA adopts a new logo in conjunction with the 35th Anniversary of NEMA

2008

EMAP creates the Eric L. Tolbert Distinguished Service Award.  The first recipient is Ed Buikema, former Michigan State Director and current FEMA Region V Administrator.










NEMA 2008 Annual Conferece - Portland, Oregon - U.S. President George W. Bush sent a personal video message commending State and Local emergency managers for their response to Hurricane Gustav and impending Hurricane Ike.

NEMA honors the Past Presidents in conjunction with the 35th Anniversary Kick-off.  Dave Palmer was recgonized as NEMA's longest serving Private Sector member.

EMAC responds to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in Texas and Louisiana.

NEMA receives $4 million in funding from FEMA to support EMAC.

2008

Leon Shaifer is awarded the 2008 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award.

2008-2009

The NEMA President is Nancy Dragani (OH)

2008

NEMA testifies before the Senate on FEMA's future preparedness

2009

2009 NEMA Mid-Year Conference - NEMA will celebrate its 35th Anniversary (incorporated February 1974)

NEMA 2009 Annual Conference held in Columbus, OH 

NEMA testifies before the Senate on FEMA's future preparedness

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano addresses the NEMA mid-year conference

Florida Emergency Management Director, Craig Fugate, is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to be FEMA Administrator

New Mexico Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director, Tim Manning, is nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to be FEMA Deputy Administrator for National Preparedness

NEMA Congressional Award recipients are: Sen. Mark Pryor (R-AR), Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY), and Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN)

NEMA recognizes Albert Ashwood (OK) as having the most years of service among sitting state directors

NEMA testifies before Congress on the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program

EMAC responds to North Dakota Red River flood

NEMA testifies before Congress on the Emergency Alert System

EMAC responds to Alaska ice jam and river floods

EMAC responds to Georgia floods

NEMA provides input for the first DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security Review

NEMA donates $1,000.00 to the IAEM Student Scholarship Fund

Dr. Richard Andrews is awarded the 2009 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award




EMAP awards Elizabeth Zimmerman the 2009 Eric L. Tolbert Distinguished Service Award

2009-2010

The NEMA President is Dave Maxwell (AR)

2009

NEMA testifies before the House Government Affairs and Homeland Security Committee on "Preparedness: What has $29 Billion in Homeland Security Grants Bought Us and How Do We Know?"

2010

NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are : Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), and Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH)

NEMA 2010 Annual Conference is held in Little Rock, AR

Joe Myers is awarded the 2010 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award

2010-2011

The NEMA President is David Miller (IA)

2011

Jim Mullen (WA) assumes NEMA presidency

NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are: Sen. Tom Coburn (OK), Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), and Rep. Peter King (NY)

President Barack Obama issues new Presidential Policy Directorate-National Preparedness requiring a system and goal for preparedness

U.S. Navy Seals kill Osama bin Laden, the former head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda known for the September 11 terrorist attacks

EMAC responds to catastrophic tornadoes in Tuscaloosa, AL and Joplin, MO

EMAC responds to floods in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Idaho, North Dakota, Missouri, Tennessee and Mississippi

NEMA 2011 Annual Forum is held in Austin, TX

Jack Colley is posthumously awarded the 2011 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished Service Award

 2011

EMAC responds to Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee

Former Iowa emergency management director David Miller is named Administrator of FEMA Flood Insurance and Mitigation Alliance

2012

NEMA testifies before the House Small Business Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Tax, and Capital Access on how emergency managers interact with the Small Business Administration (SBA) after a disaster

Congress allocates the 700 MHz D-Block to public safety

NEMA submits to Congress the Proposal for a Comprehensive Preparedness Grants Structure

NEMA publishes the second annual report Emergency Management Performance Grants; Providing Returns on a Nation's Investment

NEMA testifies before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security regarding the President's FY2013 budget request

  DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano  
  addresses the NEMA 2012 Mid-Year Forum

NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are: Sen. Jay Rockefeller IV (R-WV) and Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

NEMA hosts the first National EMAC Mutual Aid Workshop

 2012

NEMA 2012 Annual Forum is held in Seattle, WA

   MG Timothy Lowenberg is awarded the
   2012 Lacy E. Suiter Distinguished
   Service Award 
 

FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate
is awarded the NEMA Presidential 
Citation for his service

   The NEMA President is John Madden (AK)

EMAC responds to Hurricane Sandy

The President signs into law the State and Province Emergency Management Assistance Memorandum of Understanding (S.J. RES 44/P.L. 122-282) allowing cross border mutual aid between the Central and Prarie regions of the U.S. and Canada.

2013

 On 1/29/13 Pres. Obama signs the Sandy Recovery Improvement Act (P.L. 113-2) changing the way that FEMA delivers disaster assistance, including direct assistance to tribal governments.

NEMA Congressional Award Recipients are: Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI), and Rep. Robert Aderholt(R-AL).

NEMA hosts Capitol Hill Briefing to educate the congressional staff on priority emergency management issues.