Prior to 1930s A series of devastating fires struck the port city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, early in the 19th century. The 7th U.S. Congress passed a measure in 1803 that provided relief for Portsmouth merchants by extending the time they had for remitting tariffs on imported goods. This is widely considered the first piece of legislation passed by the federal government that provided relief after a disaster.History of Federal Domestic Disaster Aid Before the Civil War , Biot Report #379: July 24, 2006. Suburban Emergency Management Project.
Prior to 1930s A series of devastating fires struck the port city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, early in the 19th century. The 7th U.S. Congress passed a measure in 1803 that provided relief for Portsmouth merchants by extending the time they had for remitting tariffs on imported goods. This is widely considered the first p.iece of legislation passed by the federal government that provided relief after a disaster.History of Federal Domestic Disaster Aid Before the Civil War , Biot Report #379: July 24, 2006. Suburban Emergency Management Project.