FEMA maintains National Situation Updates, designed to provide emergency managers with information and graphics drawn from myriad agencies, governmental, media, and other. The materials provided can be used to promote situational awareness or potentially have other applications.

For this unit's discussion. The situation updates start with today's date and work backward. The site also lists archives for reports extending back to 2005 (and including Hurricane Katrina). Visit the report from June 7, 2011. Note how subordinate elements overlap or are incomplete and should be read with others. For example, "fire activity" lists a roll up of fires across the country, but "Fire Management Assistance Grant" details a few truly significant fires. Also, "flooding" is captured and reported by five separate regions, but the "Significant National Weather" details reveal that there are many rainstorms headed to those same regions.