Across the nation, citizens are learning the hard way what the impact of a federal government shutdown means to them. When disasters occur, though, those quandaries become imperatives. Will disaster aid be available? Will recovery continue? What happens if a hurricane slams into the Gulf Coast?

Unfortunately—because agency policies vary and because disasters fall under the purview of many different departments—it’s difficult to determine exactly what the answers to those questions are. Still, there are some indications.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, for instance, is still in business—mostly. With Hurricane Sandy recovery continuing, Colorado beginning flood cleanup, and Hurricane Karen ramping up to strike the Gulf Coast on Saturday, the disposition of FEMA is a hot topic.

The good news is that many FEMA response and recovery activities, funded by the Disaster Relief Fund rather than the congressional budget resolution, can continue. The agency has begun recalling furloughed personnel to prepare for Hurricane Karen and reactivated a response team at the National Hurricane Center, according to National Journal. Disaster assistance and actions necessary for people’s safety or the protection of property will also continue, according to a notice on the FEMA website.

But FEMA is only one slice of the emergency management pie. Its continued operation doesn’t necessarily mean smooth sailing for affected communities. In Colorado, for instance, FEMA will continue to provide disaster assistance to flood victims, but the state has tapped emergency funds to make sure the National Guard can continue to repair the estimated 200 miles of damaged roads.

Limited services at other agencies—such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Geological Survey—will also affect how disasters are identified and responded to—especially if the shutdown drags on.

The exact nature of those effects, though, is where the greatest uncertainty lies. Some government offices are operating while they still have money in their coffers, but others are closed. The impacts of other closures, such as climate and research activities, won’t be felt until much later when gaps in data appear. Vital, yet not immediately essential efforts—such as preparedness and mitigation—will also suffer.

It should also be noted, though, that we are already living with the effects of budgets that were cut in preparation for the shutdown. As we reported in DR 566, those cuts decimated first responder staffing, preparedness activities, mitigation funds, flood mapping, and a bevy of other programs that helped keep the nation resilient in the face of disasters.