The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is a government agency that helps people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA was officially created in 1979 through an executive order by President Jimmy Carter, and its mission is to support citizens and emergency personnel to build, sustain, and improve the nations capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. FEMA employs more than 20,000 people nationwide, and it has 10 regional offices located across the country. FEMAs core values of compassion, fairness, integrity, and respect guide the agency and its employees. FEMA is responsible for coordinating the federal governments response to disasters, and it works with state and local governments, as well as private organizations, to provide assistance to those affected by disasters. FEMAs authorities were further expanded in 2002 when President George W. Bush signed the Homeland Security Act, uniting FEMA with 21 other organizations under the newly created U.S. Department of Homeland Security. FEMAs strategic plan includes leading the coordination of federal response efforts to stabilize communities after a disaster, providing support for individuals and communities to build back and become more resilient than before, and helping its partners understand and reduce their disaster risk.