As a still-reeling Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Milton, the U.S.government's top disaster relief arm, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is working to provide relief amid back-to-back storms.Milton strengthened to a Category 5 storm on Monday while taking aim at Florida's west coast, but is forecast to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.Hurricane watches are in effect in Tampa, Sarasota, Fort Myers, Naples and Orlando.Late last month, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Flordia's Big Bend region, leaving a 500-mile path of destruction from Florida through the southern Appalachians that has been nothing short of catastrophic.MORE: Hurricane Milton tracker and forecast: Milton intensifies into Category 5 storm with 175 mph winds As officials warn of the dangers Hurricane Milton is forecast to bring on the heels of Helene's damage, understanding what role FEMA does and doesn't play in disaster relief can help mitigate misinformation as the agency works to aid in response efforts.What does FEMA do?FEMA works to supply aid to people in affected areas before, during and after disasters by providing money, technical assistance and guidance, according to the agency.Former President Jimmy Carter signed an executive order to establish FEMA in 1979, and the agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C.A view inside FEMA headquarters as US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris attends a briefing about the impacts of Hurricane Helene and updates on the federal response, at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Sept.
30, 2024.Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty ImagesFEMA works with affected states to coordinate resources and deliver public assistance to cover costs for debris removal, life-saving emergency protective procedures and restoring public infrastructure.FEMA also offers federal grants to victims to help them with temporary housing, ...