Frequently Asked Questions
What is a FEMA disaster declaration?
A disaster declaration is an official statement by the President that makes federal assistance available to affected areas through FEMA. It can provide individual assistance, public assistance, and hazard mitigation grants.
How far back does the data go?
The OpenFEMA database contains disaster declarations dating back to 1953, covering over 70 years of federal disaster records.
What are the 24 disaster types?
FEMA tracks Biological, Chemical, Coastal Storm, Dam/Levee Break, Drought, Earthquake, Fire, Flood, Freezing, Human Cause, Hurricane, Mud/Landslide, Other, Severe Ice Storm, Severe Storm(s), Snow, Terrorist, Tornado, Toxic Substances, Tropical Depression, Tropical Storm, Tsunami, Typhoon, and Volcanic Eruption.
How often is the data updated?
The OpenFEMA API is updated regularly as new disaster declarations are issued. Our site caches data for up to 1 hour to ensure fast loading while keeping information current.
Is this an official government site?
No. DisasterTracker is an independent tool that uses publicly available data from the OpenFEMA API. For official information, visit fema.gov.