As we all know, the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane season was an excessively active and extremely destructive season, ranking as the fifth-most active hurricane season since record-keeping began in the mid-19th century. There were several record breaking natural disasters during the 2017 disaster seasons, including hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which were followed by wildfires that killed dozens of people and destroyed thousands of homes. These storms combined with other natural disasters, such as mudslides, fires, floods, and storms lead to the realization that Americans need to be better prepared to deal with the repercussions of a disaster.

 Federal disaster aid typically becomes available to declared areas or counties based on the extent of devastation. According to a November article in the Washington Post, the number of Americans who registered for federal disaster aid jumped by 10x this year. By November 2017 more than 4.8 million Americans had registered for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). That number surely grew because victims of Harvey initially had a two month window after the storm during which they could register for federal assistance. That deadline had to be extended in order to give survivors some extra time to file their claim, since the filing deadline fell during the Thanksgiving holiday, and the storm knocked out internet and electricity for thousands of residents. The numbers from 2017 blew past years out of the water. Historically, the number of Americans that have registered for disaster aid has varied from 480,000 in 2016 to fewer than 180,000 over the years 2015, 2014, and 2013.

 Not everyone qualifies for aid from FEMA when a disaster strikes. FEMA's objective is to make sure that survivors are in a safe, secure, and functional environment as soon as possible after a disaster. If an insured is not displaced or in an emergent situation they do not qualify for disaster aid. For example, cosmetic damages to a home will not be covered, but if the damage is more substantial and renders the home uninhabitable, FEMA will provide coverage. FEMA is not an insurance company, and it doesn't replace home insurance, instead it fills gaps in home insurance and provides coverage for damages that home insurance generally does not cover. After a flood a home may be full of silt and debris, have mold starting to grow, and be uninhabitable. People in these situations, even if they did not have flood insurance, qualify for disaster aid.