Self-Reliance Becomes More Important Than Ever with FEMA’s Downfall

For years now, we at 4Patriots have been telling people they need to become self-sufficient.

We’ve repeatedly said that relying on FEMA is not a good option. Because you could end up in a place like the New Orleans Superdome during a hurricane. A place where conditions are cramped. And dirty. And dangerous.

Well, as it turns out, you might not even have that option anymore. If a disaster strikes and you haven’t learned how to be self-reliant, you might have to fend for yourself out on the streets.

Why? Because as CNN reports, FEMA is broke. And broken.

CNN: Americans Can’t Rely on Federal Help

Listen to these words. They don’t come from 4Patriots, although we’ve said similar things many times.

No, these words come from CNN. Are you ready? Here they are:

“Americans can’t rely on a federal cavalry when disaster strikes. They will have to take care of themselves.”

Wow! The mainstream media has finally caught on to what we have been proclaiming for years. Self-sufficiency is the only way to live.

Poor Solution Getting Poorer

Why is FEMA broke? And why is the system broken?

For one thing, it was never that great to begin with. There were always many flaws with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

But at the very least, they would usually provide an indoor place to go when weather conditions were deadly outdoors.

That place might be crowded. It might smell bad. It might have too many unstable people in it. But if you kept your wits about you, you could probably survive in there until the outdoors became livable again.

Now? Maybe not so much anymore.

Hurricanes, Wildfires Take Their Toll

Second, the number of major disasters in 2017 pretty much wiped FEMA out.

From Hurricane Harvey to Hurricane Irma to wildfires in numerous Western states, the toll was heavy.

Since Labor Day, nearly 5 million Americans have applied for federal aid. That’s more than the number of victims of Superstorm Sandy and Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma combined.

Even if the Trump Administration increases funding for FEMA, will it ever be enough to keep the average citizen safe when nature wreaks its havoc? It’s doubtful.

Billions of Dollars in Waste

The third reason FEMA is broke is waste. We’re talking billions of dollars here.

Back in 2011, FEMA’s inspector general published a report instructing the agency to implement a system to track insurance information.

But according to a recent “Semiannual Report to the Congress” from the Department of Homeland Security Office, FEMA failed to follow those recommendations.

This failure has led to potentially billions of wasted taxpayer dollars, according to a recent article in Newsweek.

This Waste Is Against the Law

Here’s a small portion of the report:

“FEMA did not implement our prior report recommendations… and suspended improvements on existing IT systems. Without a reliable system to track insurance information, FEMA risks providing duplicate assistance in violation of the (law).”

One investigator with the Project on Government Oversight, an independent watchdog, said he wasn’t surprised.

“The money goes out the door and they’re not really tracking it as well as they should,” he said.

Another report revealed that FEMA disbursed $322.1 million from 2013 to 2017 without a reliable tracking system. A significant amount of that money went to people who had already received or would receive sufficient funds from their insurance companies.

Not only is that a huge waste of money. It’s a violation of the law.

Do You Feel Self-Reliant?

What does all this mean for us?

While the FEMA mess is complicated, the solution is actually pretty simple.

It means those who become self-reliant will be able to handle a disaster and its aftermath. And it means those who don’t become self-sufficient will have to depend on FEMA… a broke organization operating on a broken system.

The thought of preparing for a disaster can be overwhelming to many Americans. But the fact of the matter is, that you just have to start somewhere, and build your supplies from there.