The point that a situation can be reacted to when you are 10 miles away from as opposed to 1000 miles in a timely manner seems to be a reasonable assumption. FEMA is the responder after the diaster happens. If all the relief supplies are moved in before the problem accurrs, that would result in a bigger cleanup process.

The primary thing to do is evacuate the residents in the path of the storm prior to it hitting the area. That is easier accomplished using buses, trains, etc., in the projected path of the Huirricane, not from Federal sites 1000 to 2000 miles away. Can you say "travel time?"