What about our "big one"

When President Biden warned FEMA does not have enough money to finish the hurricane season let alone the entire year, it was surprising. Suddenly, we discovered federal disaster relief money may be insufficient for future hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes relief.

The frequency of major hurricanes and massive wildfires is draining federal accounts, and replacement funds only add to our soaring national debt. That debt is weighing on our ability to operate our national government.

For those of us in the Pacific Northwest which stretches from Northern California to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, the lurking question--will there be federal resources when the “Big One” strikes?

The “Big One” according to the Washington Department of Natural Resources, is a 9.0 magnitude earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a 700-mile coastal fault line, and there is a growing chance it will occur within the next 50 years.

Although the earthquake itself will cause catastrophic damage, the potential for a tsunami is a major fear. Massive waves could inundate lowlands, valleys, and coastal communities just as tidal surges do in Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean states.

Scientists estimate that similar quakes happen here every 200 to 1,000 years, and the last one occurred more than 300 years ago. A shaker of that magnitude would easily put it in the Top 10 ever recorded.

While the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding is a fraction of the total federal budget, Helene and Milton already consumed $9 billion of its $20 billion disaster fund for the fiscal year which runs through Sept. 30, 2025.

CoreLogic, a real estate data firm, estimates the combined damages of Helene and Milton is $210 billion. The total losses do not include damage to the economy or tax revenues.

A future obstacle is our ballooning national debt. It has shot up in the past four years, growing from $27.75 trillion in 2020 to $35.69 trillion in September 2024. That is the money we borrowed to pay our nation’s bills and if creditors were to call for immediate payment every American would owe $206,000.

That is an unimaginable sum of money. According to the Calculator Site: “$1 trillion in $100 dollar bills is a stack 631 miles high---two and a half times as high as the International Space Station, which is 248 miles above the Earth.

According to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, interest costs so far in FY 2024 are the third-largest spending category for the federal government — outpacing outlays for all budget items other than Social Security and Medicare.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that if unchecked interest costs will total $12.9 trillion over the next decade. The annual interest payment alone would be $1.7 trillion in 2034. That is a dangerous trend.

There is a growing realization that we need to help one another and not depend on the federal government. The responses to Helene and Milton were appropriately coordinated by the states along with cities and counties.

Southeastern governors, most notably Florida’s Ron DeSantis, were prepared and quickly marshalled resources from across the country to rescue victims, restore electricity and drinking water, and provide gasoline, food, and necessities.

Their round-the-clock work alongside state and local government workers, the Red Cross, charities such as Samaritan’s Purse and Mercy Chefs, were augmented by FEMA and our military---and saved lives.

Most gratifying was community-minded neighbors and volunteers spontaneously provided food and shelter, tractors, chainsaws and rescue boats and trucks to aid victims. Their ongoing selfless efforts continue to be the backbone of the response and are what define our America.

Hopefully, when the “Big One” hits us, it will be people-helping-people that make the difference and define Northwesterners.

–– Don C. Brunell is a business analyst. He can be contacted at [email protected].