How to Get a Job With FEMA to Help With Harvey Recovery

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is seeking help for what it expects will be a “long recovery effort” as Tropical Storm Harvey continues to ravage Texas and Louisiana.

FEMA’s responsibilities go beyond immediate assistance in the wake of severe weather. It also does the long-term work of helping communities rebuild after a devastating event. Much of this work is done from afar. Accordingly, FEMA says it is currently seeking applications for customer representatives not only in Texas but also in Virginia, Maryland, California and Puerto Rico.

These employees will “serve as the primary point of contact for persons inquiring about disaster assistance,” FEMA writes on its website. “Duties include assisting disaster victims, processing claim requests for disaster assistance, and providing information regarding available programs to individuals applying for disaster assistance.”

The agency is also seeking applicants for its Reservist program, which involves work on a “temporary, on-call, and intermittent basis.” These positions include a wide range of responsibilities that match applicants’ professional skills, including financial management, hazard mitigation, environment historic preservation, disability integration, external affairs and more.

FEMA plans to post more job openings soon. Interested applicants can send resumes to fema-careers@fema.dhs.gov or apply online. FEMA suggests that those who would prefer to take on volunteer opportunities reach out to the Red Cross.