With word that Nancy Ward, acting director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is heading to North Dakota today, it’s obvious that the Obama administration is eager to avoid any hint of sluggishness in its response to a major disaster. FEMA’s bungling during the horrific aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans dealt a severe blow to the Bush Administration, although the agency rehabilitated its reputation in subsequent disasters. President Obama issued a disaster declaration for North Dakota on Tuesday and Minnesota on Thursday, opening the door for federal aid to flow into the flood zone.

Interestingly, Ward rejected a request for a disaster declaration in North Dakota earlier this month, when the state wanted federal money to help defray the costs of plowing from a very snowy winter. Up until the first third of the 20th century, disasters were a local responsibility, but over the past century the federal government assumed an increasing role to the point that U.S. taxpayers are routinely paying the costs of crop failures, forest fires, tornadoes and other major disruptions. It seems that presidents feel that there are few downsides for calling something a disaster, and too much risk from not doing so.

Since he took office two months ago, President Obama has declared disasters in Washington (twice), Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma (twice), Tennessee, Missouri, Oregon, Illinois, New York, and Indiana following winter storms, in addition to the flooding declarations for North Dakota and Minnesota. FEMA’s information sites for the Red River floods are here and here.

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