Federal agency FOIA guide · Department of Homeland Security

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

For FEMA disaster-response, grant, policy, contract, and administrative records. Some individual disaster-assistance records may use specialized access processes.

Before you file: Search the agency’s public reading room and other public databases first. FOIAFiler does not submit requests for you, and agency contact details can change. Verify current instructions on the official agency page before sending.

Common request topics

disasterfloodemergencyfemaaidresponse

Where to submit

Mail / email details in FOIAFiler

Email: Not listed in FOIAFiler data; use the official FOIA page.

Mail:
Use the agency’s current official submission instructions.

Verify before mailing

Related request recipes

Disaster response / FEMA records

For personal disaster-assistance files, check FEMA's specialized access process before filing a broad FOIA request.

Use this recipe

How to make the request easier to process

  • Describe the records, not just the question you want answered.
  • Use a specific date range when possible.
  • Name the office, event, case number, contract number, facility, or other locator if known.
  • List useful record types such as emails, reports, memoranda, photographs, logs, contracts, or policy documents.
  • For records about yourself, follow the agency’s identity-verification and Privacy Act instructions.
  • Ask for reasonably segregable non-exempt portions if responsive records contain exempt material.

Build it

One agency or several?

If this agency is clearly the custodian, build one request. If the records may be split among several components, Request Bundles can generate a separate letter for each selected agency while keeping the core description consistent.